


Finding Love

by MoonGoddess



Category: Sailor Moon - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-02-28
Updated: 2015-09-22
Packaged: 2017-10-16 00:28:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 30,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/166509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonGoddess/pseuds/MoonGoddess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Serenity Vanderbilt had everything. She was rich, intelligent, beautiful and was engaged to the most powerful man in all of London. But Serenity found herself wanting more. She wanted true love and passion.</p><p>When Serenity finds her Grandmother's old necklace, she is transported back into a time where one Prince ruled the entire planet Earth. Will Serenity find what she's looking for in a world that's not hers?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Life as we know it

Serenity sighed as she shifted through the boxes of her stuff. Her bedroom was a complete mess.

She took a moment to look around her room. A room that would no longer belong to her in a few weeks. The room was in complete disarray; her clothes lay all over her oak bed, her books were thrown about her hardwood floor and desk, and old boxes lay scattered at her feet. She was trying to organize her old stuff into what she would take with her and what was useless. After all, she was beginning a new life with Seiya. A life that didn’t have room for all her old belongings.

As she continued scanning her room, a glittering object caught her attention.

Bending down closer to take a look, Serenity took out a necklace. “Nana Rose’s necklace,” she gasped. Serenity hadn’t seen this necklace since her grandmother had passed away, nearly 10 years ago. She had been 16 at the time and was unable to cope with the death of her beloved Grandmother. So the necklace had been packed away so she would not have to deal with the pain of losing the one person who truly understood her.

As she gazed down at the rustic necklace in her hand, she realized that the pain had now subsided, and in its place were the good memories she had of her Nana.

Serenity maneuvered her way around the boxes littering her room and made her way to the mirror on her dressing table.

Watching her reflection, she placed the necklace around her neck. The necklace was quite long, and it settled 2 inches below the neckline of her light blue summer dress. She lifted up the pendant and fingered the little rose vines that enveloped a crescent shaped moon, right in the center of the oval shaped locket. The moon was made of a light blue crystal.

Serenity tried to pry open the locket, but it remained firmly closed, just as it had those ten years ago, when she had first held it.

She remembered that day, as clear as if it had just happened yesterday. Like every Sunday she had gone to visit her grandmother, when her grandmother had opened the door and said she wanted to show her something. She had then gone into her closet and had brought back a velvet pouch.

“Serena, I want you to have this,” said Rose as she held out the red pouch to her Granddaughter. Serena was what everyone who knew her well called her.

Serenity took out the necklace from the pouch, and marveled at the beautiful piece.

“Thank you Nana, it’s beautiful!”

Hesitating, she looked into the clear blue eyes of her grandmother, “Are you sure you want to give it to me?”

Looking up at her Nana, she thought she saw a whisper of sadness on her Nana’s face, but it was gone in a second.

“Of course I do,” said Rose with a smile. In the next instant, her Grandmother’s smile disappeared into a serious look.

“Listen to me Serena; I don’t want you to ever feel like you’re alone.” Rose took the necklace from Serenity, and put it around her young Granddaughter’s neck.

“This locket will help you find what your heart desires. It will lead you to your destiny.”

Serenity looked down to find the necklace hanging in front of her, almost reaching her waist.Opening the locket, she found it stuck.

“Is it a locket?”

Frustrated as the locket could not be pried open, no matter how hard she tried, Serenity asked, “It doesn’t open, and anyways how would a locket help me find what I’m looking for?”

Looking up at her grandmother, Serenity saw a sparkle in her grandmother’s eyes.

“All in good time my dear. One day, when the time is right, you’ll see,” replied Rose, as she turned away from Serenity.

After that, her grandmother had changed the subject to baking cookies, and had evaded any questions about the mysterious locket. She had passed away in her sleep a week later.

Snapping out of her memories, Serenity realized that her Grandmother had given her the necklace right before her death. If she had met her Grandmother one week later, Serenity might have never known and received the beautiful necklace.

Fingering the delicate chain, she had another eerie thought. It’s almost as if her Grandmother had known about her incoming death, and had tried to prepare her Granddaughter for something.

Serenity decided that after the wedding she would have the necklace repaired, so she could finally see inside that locket. Ah, her marriage. She didn’t want to think about her upcoming marriage to the hotel business tycoon, Seiya.  
She shook her head, hoping she could erase any thoughts of Seiya and marriage from her mind. She looked around her childhood room, and suddenly the room felt too small, too controlled, too cramped.

Like her life.

Shaking her head once more to clear the negative thoughts Serenity said aloud, “I need to take a walk; I need to get away from all this.”

“You need to get away from your life”, something inside her added.

Grabbing a small black cardigan from her closet, Serenity ran down the mahogany staircase to the main foyer of the house. Popping her head into the kitchen, she thought it wise to tell the head maid that she was heading out.

“Maya, I’m going out for a walk,” she called out to the young chestnut haired maid, who was preparing the tea.

Maya looked up from the teapot in her hand, “But Miss Serena, Madam will be home any moment now from her function.

Will you not join her for tea?” she added pointing to the brewing tea.

“No, no, I really need to clear my head,” Serenity said pulling her cardigan over her shoulders.

Maya still looked distressed at the thought of refusing tea, so she added, “I won’t be far; I’m just going to walk around the estates. I’ll be back soon.”

Giving a warm reassuring smile, Serenity walked out of the kitchen and through the front doors of her house.

Maya shook her head at the retreating back of the young mistress. The young miss had been very distracted lately. Maya sincerely wished to see the smiling face of her mistress once again.

 

As Serenity walked down the huge roundabout driveway and towards the sheltered woods her family owned, she thought about her family. She didn’t think her mother would be too disappointed that she wouldn’t be there for tea.  
Serenity felt relieved about missing tea time as her mother would want to obsess endlessly over all the small details regarding her wedding, the details that Serenity herself hadn’t even thought about yet. Besides, Serenity was sure that her mother would be late to tea because she was currently the hostess of one of the biggest charity auctions held in London.

Indeed, Emily Vanderbilt’s grand parties were usually the talk of the entire city, if not the country.

Serenity hoped that Sammy, her younger brother would be back in time for her mother’s arrived. Samuel Vanderbilt, being a 16 year old boy was out with his friends, and had promised Serenity that he’d be back before their mother caught him missing. He had been going out with his friends a bit too much for her mother’s taste, so she had been keeping a closer eye on Sammy lately. Serenity smiled as she thought about her mischievous younger brother. He was definitely annoying, but she loved him nonetheless.

Serenity moved onto thoughts about her father, William Vanderbilt. Her father being a prominent businessman was away for yet another business trip. He was the CEO of the luxury hotel chain, Vanderbilt Hotels.

Her father had gotten increasingly busy over the past year, as the hotels were now being introduced over in Asia, and so she barely saw her father anymore. Lately the only time they spoke seemed to be when any important decisions about the wedding needed to be finalized.

She wondered whether anyone would even know if she disappeared.

As she entered the forest at the edge of their large estate, Serenity pulled her sweater closer about herself. The autumn wind was cool today, but her sweater helped keep her nice and warm.

Walking further into the forest, she listened to the crunching sound of her footsteps on the leaves scattering the ground. The trees in this forest were very old and tall, and since it was fall, they were shedding their old leaves in what seemed to be colorful waterfalls, every time the wind picked up. Serenity looked up at the trees and looked past the colorful leaves to the sky behind the trees. She could still see the sun at the edge of her vision, behind the trees, low in the sky.

Since the sun hadn’t set yet, Serenity knew she still had some time before had to return. Serenity had wandered these woods as a child, but there was still a large portion of the woods she hadn’t seen. Today, Serenity wanted to travel down to the unknown end of the forest.

There was a small river down that end, which had been forbidden to her as a child because it was a dangerous place for a child to play. As she reached the fork in the path, Serenity travelled left, towards the river.  
Paying attention to the untraveled path, she maneuvered herself around the large rocks and tree roots scattering around the ground. She wasn’t exactly the most graceful person, so she had to work extra hard not to end up on the ground. After nearly half an hour she had reached the river and looked in awe. The river had clear green water flowing steadily. There were many trees around this area, giving it a peaceful glow.  
Serenity’s eyes were drawn to a particular tree, near the edge of the water.

It looked to be older than the trees around it and it had a soft cushion of leaves strewn around it. Something about the tree drew her to it. It seemed different, ethereal even. As she drew closer to the tree, she saw carvings on the bark of the tree. Someone had carved delicate vines surrounding a crescent moon. As if unable to resist, she reached out and touched the carvings, feeling the smooth depressions on the rough surface of the tree trunk.

 

Wait a minute…startled she looked down at her Grandmother’s necklace. Picking up the oval shaped locket, she compared the engravings on her locket with the carvings on the old tree. They were the exact same! What did that mean? Was there a connection between her necklace and this tree? There must be a rational explanation. She rationalized that this engraving must have been a popular one back in the day. They were probably from the same era.

“I’ll check it out at our library when I get back to the house.” Serenity promised herself.

She had come here today to clear her head. She wanted to sort through her feelings before her wedding. She looked around, and found that this magical tree had the best resting spot, with a clear view of the river. She sat down on the cushion of leaves and brought her legs to her. Placing her chin on the top of her legs, she looked out at the river and gave herself over to her thoughts.

Her wedding to Seiya was essentially a business merger. William Vanderbilt knew that merging his business with Seiya’s company would make him the largest entrepreneur in all of London. I’m just a tool that my father could use to make him more money.

But, she hadn’t really minded. She had let herself be used. Seiya was always a gentleman to her; he was very kind and gentle. Her mother had assured her that he could always take care of her; provide for her. That was enough wasn’t it? Serenity knew Seiya probably cared for her, if not loved her. He’ll make me happy.

Looking out at the rushing water in the river, she wondered why she felt empty inside.

“What about love?” A little voice demanded inside her head.

Love…many had claimed to love Serenity during the years she spent in University. Men found Serenity attractive, but what they thought was more attractive was her bank balance. They had all loved her for her money; no one had tried to know the real Serenity.

She always knew she would have to follow her mother’s footsteps; marry a suitable man and take care of the estate while her husband earned. She had accepted that she would have a marriage of convenience, not of love. When her parents had told her of her betrothal to Seiya, she had already given up on love and was happy to find such a sensible man. Her mother had always reminded her that Seiya was quite a catch. Not only was he rich, but he was handsome too. With long raven hair, clear blue eyes and broad shoulders, he was accustomed to women throwing themselves at him.

Serenity had agreed with her mother, but inside she had thought his hair too long and his eyes the wrong shade of blue. Picking up a bright red maple leaf, Serenity twirled the leaf between her fingers. When she had resigned herself to marry sensibly why was she feeling so restless as the marriage drew closer? She now felt she wanted more than just security. She wanted to do something in her life. She did not just want to be a trophy wife; she wanted her life to have meaning.

Marrying sensibly didn’t seem the right choice anymore. She wanted passion. She wanted excitement, adventure…all in all she wanted more.

Serenity felt a sharp prick of pain, and she looked down to see that she was gripping her locket so hard that the vines from the engraving had pierced her skin. A drop of blood fell onto the locket as she brought her finger to her mouth. The wound wasn’t deep, and it didn’t pain much. Taking her finger out of her mouth, she noticed that the bleeding had subsided and as she was about to wipe the locket off, she saw the crystal in the middle of the locket glowing.

Alarmed, Serenity touched the crystal and felt that it was warm. It had never glowed before. Why was it glowing now?

As Serenity wondered about the crystal, a drilling noise started in her head. She stood up to try and stop the growing shrieking in her head, but as she stood, the world around her began to sway.

Holding onto the carved tree she tried to steady herself. The drilling in her head was subsiding, but now she was hearing the sound of galloping horses coming nearer. She looked around but immediately regretted moving her head so suddenly as her head was pounding. But one thing was for sure; there were no horses heading her way around her.

The sounds were all in her head and they were growing in intensity by the second. They were coming closer and closer.  
Who “they” were, she had no idea but all she knew was that her head felt like it would explode.

Suddenly everything turned black and the ground beneath her feet gave way. The pounding and deafening shrieking in her head stopped. She gave herself over to the darkness, as a realization shook her.

She wanted love. She wanted someone to love her, for herself alone.

Before the darkness took complete hold of her, the last thing she remembered was pair of blue eyes that were entirely the right shade.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Startled voices yelling all around her was the first thing Serenity heard when she woke up.

“Prince, there’s an unconscious girl over here,” said someone’s voice from over her.

Ahh…my head is pounding,” she murmured as she gingerly touched her aching head.  
She felt drowsy, as if she was drifting around in a dream. Confused and dazed, she thought it best to just lie there.She’s waking up Endymion,” said a deep voice, from right beside her.

Serenity heard the heavy thud of footsteps getting closer to where she lay on the ground. I don’t want to open my eyes, she thought. She knew once her eyes opened, her headache would only worsen.

 

The footsteps stopped right beside her, and she heard the ruffling of clothes as someone sat beside her. Someone was leaning over her and she smelled a whiff of rose mixed with spring rain. Mmm…that smelled good.

What the hell am I thinking?

Opening her eyes, she peered directly into a pair of delicious midnight blue eyes. They were beautiful eyes; there were silver specks swimming around in a dark sapphire tinted abyss. And they were lined with the darkest, thickest lashes that went on forever. Her gaze strayed to his dark ebony hair and his high cheekbones. Dazed, her eyes followed the line of his cheekbone until they met the strong curve of his square jaw. Looking over, she saw his lips move but what was being said was lost to her. His lips were full, with a sensual curve that made her feel tingle inside.

“Who are you and what are you doing on these lands?” his deep baritone asked. Startled she realized the man she was so busy admiring was speaking to her.

“I…I don’t know.” Her voice was a hoarse whisper and even to her own ears she sounded confused and weak.

What is wrong with me? Mentally revoking herself, she pushed out of the daze she had settled into.

Finally realizing her situation, the questions bombarded her mind. Where am I? What happened?

Keeping a calm head, Serenity looked around at her surroundings. She was still in the same forest, and yet the trees were shorter, less developed. The river was still in front of her, but looked more frantic as the current seemed stronger. What had happened to her?

Turning her head, her gaze drifted to the men nearby. There were about a dozen men, all on horseback. They all sported some sort of light armor and had swords. Three of four of the horses were alone as there masters were crowded around them. There was a black stallion at the front of the pack that particularly caught her eye, and she knew it belonged to the man in front of her.

 

A few feet away from her stood three tall men, all wearing light armor; the type they used to train in back when there used to be monarchies and kingdoms and such. Looking over the men she noticed they had swords sheathed at their sides carrying some sort of symbol. These men seemed more powerful and of more importance than the others, and they all wore confused and curious expressions on their faces as they looked her over. They almost seemed to be some sort of bodyguards to the man kneeling in front of her.

She shifted her head to look directly at the handsome man in front of her. She saw confusion swimming in his eyes too, but annoyance seemed to be creeping in. He had seemingly asked her something and was waiting for the answer. But Serenity was busy studying his eyes, which seemed guarded now, as if he didn’t want her to know what he was thinking.

Too close for comfort, Serenity thought as she attempted to scoot back. In doing so the skirt of her summer dress lifted even higher up her legs to reveal her thighs. Looking up to see if the stranger in front of her had noticed, she saw that his eyes were riveted on her now bare thighs.

Blushing a deep pink, Serenity pushed his skirt down over her knees and frowned. The man showed no signs of embarrassment, or of being affected at all, he had just looked away at some point over her right shoulder.

Clearing her throat she asked, “Where am I…what is this place?” Looking up, she saw the confusion growing on the strangers face.

“What do you mean where are you, how could you not know where it is you are travelling to,” he said in an annoyed voice.

“Maybe she hit her head and has a little bout of memory loss” reasoned one of the three bodyguards standing nearby. He had wavy blond hair, noticed Serenity. The man in front of looked her over with a puzzled expression.

“I haven’t lost my memories…I just don’t understand what’s happening. I was sitting somewhere, and then I’m here”, mumbled Serenity and even to her own ears she knew she made no sense.

“Or perhaps she’s from the Dark Kingdom Endymion. Maybe she works for that witch Beryl,” said the bodyguard with long wavy brown hair. “You remember one of our informants told us Beryl has been spotted near these lands lately. Maybe she’s a spy”.

She heard murmuring all around her as the men expressed their own views on this new development. From what Serenity could hear they all seemed to agree with the man; adding that she was dressed weirdly and looked out of place.

Amidst the noise, she felt the front of her dress to see if her necklace was still there. It was! She made sure the locket was hidden behind her dress because such an antique necklace may only confirm their beliefs of her being some sort of witch and she wanted to protect this necklace.

She was confused and worried but she understood that something terrible had happened. Looking at the way these men were dressed, she could only believe that somehow she had travelled back in time. But she wouldn’t believe it. She couldn’t believe it, not yet. One thing she had realized however was that this necklace was somehow related to this whole mess.

Endymion, which she had now learned was the strangers name, looked at her with calculating eyes. Taking in her floral summer dress and sweater, his hard gaze locked to her face. She was startled to see cold, icy blue eyes staring at her.

“Well, you’re quite a fool with you being a spy and falling asleep on my lands and all.”

“But that works out perfectly for us, seeing as now we can find out what Beryl is plotting and use you to our advantage,” he drawled.

Alarmed Serenity moved further away from him and frantically said “I don’t know any Beryl person, and I don’t work for her. I’m just lost, I’m not from here.”

She knew her excuse was weak, but she had no idea what to do. She hoped he’d take pity on her and maybe believe her.

“We’ll soon find out,” he said as he got up from his seated position in front of her. Then to his men he added, “We’re taking her with us, she’ll travel with me”.

“What?...but you’re not listening to me! I’m not a spy!” Serenity said as she hastily got up from the ground and went after Endymion.

“If you aren’t Beryl’s spy, then you shouldn’t have any problems answering any questions right?” A smirk adorned his face. He knew she couldn’t find an excuse for that .

“Well no, but – AHHHH” she started but Endymion had picked her up and thrown her over one broad shoulder.

“Let go of me!” “Who do you think you are? I haven’t done anything wrong,” she shouted incredulously as he carried her over to the black stallion. With a thump, he placed her on the horse’s back and heaved himself onto the horse, seated directly behind her.

“Well I happen to be the Crown Prince of Earth”, he said over her shoulder. “So I can technically do anything I please,” he added as he prepared the stallion for travel.

She gaped at him, “The P-Prince of Earth? The entire planet earth has a prince?”

Once again he looked down at her and fixed her with an aggravated glare. “Of course it does, please your attempt at feigning innocence is pathetic.”

With that said, he pulled the reins and with a resounding neigh they were off. She was pushed back against his hard – a very toned and muscled chest—and she knew she had to make a last attempt to save herself.

“You don’t act like a prince, you act like a- a chauvinistic pig!” “Put me down this instant!” and she bit down hard onto the Prince’s forearm.

“Ha! That should teach him” she smirked inwardly.

Endymion recoiled back slightly, but his grips on the reins didn’t loosen a bit. “Stop that you insolent woman!”  
“Do you want to be thrown off this horse that badly; if you want you can jump off now and save us all some trouble.” He frowned at the path ahead, but he didn’t seem to be in any real pain.

Damn. What the hell is he made of? She looked down the horse and at the path they were travelling. Hmm…that’s a long way down and they were moving pretty fast. Jumping now would mean she would end up with broken bones. Better to wait till they reached wherever it was they were travelling to, and then she would try escaping again. That decided, she settled quietly within his arms and concentrated on memorizing the road they were travelling.

“Good. You’re finally behaving like a person and not like a wild banshee” said the Prince smirking down at her.

That’s what you think you creep! Just watch, I’ll escape from you and find my way home.

As they settled into silence, Serenity thought about the man behind her. So…he says he’s the prince of earth? For some unexplainable reason, she believed him. For one thing, no man out of the dozens gathered around them had contradicted that statement. They had just looked at her as if she was mad because she didn’t think the entire planet had a prince. And secondly, the way he presented himself and the way he had made the statement was with utter and complete confidence. He didn’t look like a man who lied, or a man who needed to lie. He looked like he always got what he wanted and therefore didn’t need any false pretenses.

So there was a prince of earth. So now she knew that sometime, way back in time, there had been a prince that ruled over the entire planet, and she was now sitting in his embrace. She had so many questions. She wanted to know what year it was, for one. But she doubted she’d get any answers out of the hunk of rock sitting behind her. He believed she was a sorceress or something. Letting out a sigh, she hoped that she would find someone to answer her questions later.

As they picked up pace, the chilly wind began to get to Serenity. Unconsciously she nestled back into Endymion’s chest. She felt the warmth spread throughout her body and she sighed contentedly.

Endymion looked down at the blond bundled between his arms and was puzzled. She hated him, so why was she snuggling up against him? And he hated her too, she was conspiring against him! So why wasn’t he pushing her away? Frowning, he pushed the unsettling thoughts out of his mind and concentrated on the road ahead.

After what seemed like an hour of travelling, they reached the outskirts of an enormous castle. There were guards posted all along the outside walls, but they all saluted, bowed and opened the wrought iron gates that lead inside the castle walls.

“Well that’ll make it harder to plan an escape route,” thought Serenity.

The sun had set, and the sky darkened around them. They came to an abrupt halt and she felt some shifting behind her and Endymion jumped off his stallion. Serenity was startled to note that she was disappointed at the sudden disappearance of warmth.

Just as abruptly, he picked Serenity up and off the horse and placed her on the ground. He called over some men and ordered, “Bring her inside and make sure she doesn’t escape.” He had emphasized the last part with a hard glare at both men.

He went on ahead and disappeared through the grand doors at the front of the castle. Serenity, deciding that causing an uproar would only make the Prince more hesitant about her intentions, went quietly with the two men as they guided her through the entrance.

My god! It was huge! Even bigger than her estate at home.

Marble covered the floor beneath their feet, and there was a grand oak staircase that was settled in the center of the foyer. The staircase led to a second floor that had many rooms that she was unable to see. There were great big colonial pillars around the foyer and an enormous crystal chandelier hung over her head, what would be the middle of the foyer.

The two guards pulled a gaping Serenity through the foyer and into a room in the east wing of the castle. They entered into a big room that was decorated with gold and big curtains.

In the center of the room was a big gold trimmed red chair, and on this chair was the Prince. Beside him stood the three elite men she had seen earlier in the forest and another man with long white-silver hair.

The men pulled her further into the room, until she stood directly before the Prince. The Prince wore a hard and serious look on his face; he looked colder than he had in the forest.

“So please do explain to us why you were spying on me?” “What did your mistress order you to do?” he spit out in disgust.

“I’ve told you already, I don’t work for anybody!” she repeated exasperatedly.

“Then what exactly were you doing trespassing on my grounds?” the Prince asked in a sarcastic tone.

He doesn’t believe me.

“My name is Serenity Vanderbilt and I-I’m…” She paused. Should she just tell them the truth? She was tired and she wondered how it could get any worse than this anyways. Oh screw it.  
“I’m…I’m from the future” she said quickly.

“Oh really. The future you say?” said the Prince raising a sarcastic dark eyebrow.

“Yes! I was just sitting under this tree in the forest on my estates and before I knew it, the tree was glowing and then everything went dark…and I ended up here” she finished lamely. Even to her own ears, her explanation sounded like a lie.

“You had that whole ride to come up with a plausible explanation, and that’s the best you could do?” he drawled, a cold smirk frozen on his handsome face.

“I’m not lying to you, it’s the truth!” shouted Serenity as she set her face into a hard expression she hoped mirrored Endymion. Inside she was crumbling. She felt like crying, he didn’t believe her. Well of course he didn’t believe her. She wouldn’t believe herself if she was in his place.

What would she do? She stared hard at the Prince, she would not give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry and plead.

Endymion stared at her for a moment, studying her in silence. So her name was Serenity. It was a beautiful name and quite uncommon. Just like her. She seemed frustrated, but she couldn’t be telling him the truth. It was ludicrous…from the future she says! He had to find out what Beryl was planning, and this girl would tell him everything. She just needed to be persuaded.

“Guards, take her to the dungeons.” Then to Serenity, he added “Maybe there, you can finally remember the real reason why you’re hear. “Maybe tomorrow morning you’ll feel like telling me why Beryl sent you to spy on me.”

The guards tightened their grip on her wrist as they tried to drag her to the dungeons.  
“Unhand me” she threatened the guards. Then facing the prince, she added with intensity in her voice “I haven’t done anything wrong. Let me go this instant!”

Endymion smelled the fear coming off from her. She put on a tough front but he knew she was really frightened inside. He decided adding to her fear would help him in learning the truth. Endymion stood up and walked up to stand in front of Serenity.

“Certainly you realize Serenity, that you are in no position to command anything of me” he snarled. “We believe that you work with Beryl, who we are at war with, so you are an enemy to us” he bit out angrily. “And now, we’ve caught you.”

Serenity’s eyes widened and panic seeped into her vivid blue eyes.

“Good,” Endymion thought. That should quell that arrogant attitude of hers. Then he leaned in, to within an inch of her ear and whispered softly, “With a snap of my fingers, I could have you killed”. With a nod towards the guards, Serenity was dragged off to the dungeons.

The last thing Serenity saw was a cold smirk on Endymion’s face.

“So you hope to scare her into confessing” said a voice from Endymion’s right.

Endymion turned to look at his head general, Malachite. “Hmm…she looks to be from a well off family” “Spending some time in the dungeons will show her the reality of her situation, and show her we mean business. Then, she should docilely tell us everything about Beryl.”

Malachite was always quiet and observing; he was wise beyond his years. He questioned his prince “Are you sure she’s a threat?” “She didn’t seem like the type to work for Beryl.”

“We’ll find out soon enough”, said the Prince and they all knew that he wouldn’t allow them to question him on this.

“Well, I think its bloody brilliant. I would have just had her killed for betrayal” called the blond haired Jaedite from his left.

Endymion frowned because for some unknown reason, he couldn’t imagine himself killing the girl. She really did seem innocent and there was something about her that drew him to her. Something that intrigued him. That was probably the reason why he had insisted she ride with him to the castle, rather than with a guard.

His frown deepened as he realized where his thoughts were leading him. Stop it Endymion. He cursed himself for feeling sorry for the girl. She was a spy; she was probably trying to kill him. So, he had done the right thing by placing her in the dungeons. She would confess everything come tomorrow.

Smiling because he was pleased with himself, Endymion went off to change out of his training armor.

 

Serenity hated that man. That Prince was evil. Pure evil. Serenity was sitting on the floor in a cell in the dark dungeon. She hugged her knees closer to herself to keep herself warm. He didn’t even listen to her entire story, the bastard! He had just condemned her to the dungeons without any proof.

But there was something about him that got to her. She felt she could look into his beautiful eyes for eternity. Even though she should have been wary of him, when they were sitting on that horse together, she felt safe. Protected. Which was silly of course, I mean he was the biggest threat to her life. Yet something about him made her heart beat faster.

Stop it Serenity, she reprimanded herself. He threatened to kill you. But for some reason his threat had surprised her. His threat at the end had jolted her to the danger she was in. She was in the past; where punishments and death weren’t always justified. She didn’t think that he would threaten her life.

The Prince thought she worked for some person named Beryl, and Serenity had gathered one thing, that the Prince and his kingdom were at war with this Beryl. That means they all think I’m the enemy. They all hate me; they consider me an enemy in their camp.

Oh god. I need to get out of here. She had already tried to find a way out of the dungeon, but it was useless. The dungeon was secure. But the next time an opportunity came, she was going to get the hell out of here.

Suddenly, a light went on down the hall from her cell.

“Prince?” thought Serenity.

But a woman carrying a flaming torch came into her view.

From her seat on the dungeon floor, Serenity called out cautiously “Who are you?”

“Hello Serenity, my name is Raye,” said the lady.

Serenity must have had a confused expression because she continued on to add, “I’m Endymion’s sister.”

Oh lovely. That was the perfect end to this day.

“What are you here for? To continue the threatening your brother started?”  
“He didn’t have enough, that he sent you down here to continue,” Serenity added annoyance creeping into her voice.

“Oh no, he doesn’t even know that I’m here meeting you. I just wanted to meet you and hear your story,” she said gazing at her directly.

Raye had a key hanging from her hand, which she used to open the gate to the cell, and she walked right in.

“I’m a spy from some person named Beryl, didn’t you hear from your brother?” Serenity added sarcastically, watching her warily.

“I don’t believe that, you don’t look an inch like someone from the dark kingdom. My brother is just being stubborn, his intuition is usually spot on, I don’t know what happened this time…” she trailed off.

“Shouldn’t you hate me; I’m an enemy to your people aren’t I?” asked Serenity.

“I don’t hate you, quite the contrary; I’m beginning to like you” she said with a twinkling smile. “I heard you stood up to my brother, which is brilliant,” Raye said with her eyes sparkling.

She was smirking, and that smirk was every inch the same as her brothers Serenity noted. “And as for you being an enemy, it’s only because everyone believes you to work for Beryl, which I’m almost certain is not the case.”

Serenity studied her. Raye was beautiful, and now that she looked closely she could see the clear resemblance between the brother and sister. Raye shared her brother’s ebony hair, and hers reached her lower back. She had piercing violet eyes and was about three inches taller than Serenity. Looking closely at Raye’s face, Serenity saw sincerity behind her smile. Something about her made Serenity want to trust her.

Tentatively Serenity started her story. “I’m from the future,” she said slowly.

Serenity paused and watched Raye’s reaction. Raye looked startled for a moment, before her face went carefully blank and she waited for Serenity to continue.

Serenity was surprised that she hadn’t outright laughed in her face. Serenity told Raye her entire story, and Raye listened attentively the entire time asking questions along the way.

They stood in silence after the story ended, both trying to absorb what had happened.

Raye finally spoke, “So you’re from the year 2010?”

She looked astounded.

“Yes I am, and what year is this?” Serenity asked, wondering just how far in time she had travelled.

“It’s the year 1010.”

1010?!

“So I’ve travelled back a millennia?” Serenity asked confounded.

“I believe so. An entire millennia,” said Raye.

“You actually believe me?” Serenity asked, confused at how Raye was so trustworthy.

“I do and I’m not quite sure why, but there’s something about you I trust. You seem familiar…”  
“Familiar?” That’s odd. Serenity had trusted Raye for the same reason. She seemed trustworthy to her too for some unknown reasons.

“Mhm…and I like you.” Raye smiled and then she stopped for a moment as if a thought had just struck her. Then she added, “Serenity, where’s that necklace you were talking about, your grandmother’s necklace?”

Serenity had told her the whole story, including the part about finding her necklace. She trusted Raye, and she seemed like the only person who believed her. She seemed like a friend. The only thing she didn’t know about was Seiya.

“It is right here” said Serenity taking her necklace out from inside the neckline of her dress.

Her necklace glinted in the light; the light colored gem sparkling flames in the light from the torch. She heard a gasp, and looked up to find Raye staring slack jawed at the necklace.

“W-where in the world did you find that?” Her voice was a pitch higher in excitement as she moved to touch the necklace.

“It’s my grandmother’s necklace, remember I told you?” Serenity had no idea why Raye was so riveted on her grandmother’s necklace. Sure it was beautiful, but it wasn’t that amazing in this day and time.

Touching the necklace in awe, Raye answered “It’s not just any necklace…the fact that you have this necklace means that you’re a—a—”

She looked up in bewilderment at Serenity. Raye studied Serenity for minutes.

Not being able to wait any longer, Serenity asked impatiently “A what?”

With a bewildered look marring her face, Raye answered “It means that you are a healer.”


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 

 

Touching the necklace in awe, Raye answered “It’s not just any necklace…the fact that you have this necklace means that you’re a—a”. She looked up in bewilderment at Serenity. She studied Serenity for what seemed like eternity. 

 

Not being able to wait any longer, Serenity asked impatiently, “A what? Do you know why I’m here, in this time?” 

 

Composing herself, Raye said with a sly grin “It means that you are a healer.” 

 

Confounded, Serenity questioned, “A healer – what exactly is a healer?” 

 

Raye was leaning against the cold metal jail bars and the flaming torch was placed in a holder at the side of the room. Raye seemed lost in her own thoughts as she stared hard at the slate gray floor. She mumbled occasionally to herself. 

 

“Raye?” Serenity said. 

 

Raye broke out of her trance, and calculating purple eyes met confused blue eyes. 

 

“Well it’s just a myth so I’m not sure if it’s true…” said Raye. 

 

“Tell me what you think anyways. I’m already confused so anything you tell me could help clear some things up” said Serenity. 

 

This was true. Serenity was beyond just the state of confusion. She was in a different time, in a different place, with people she didn’t know and to top it all off, she was in jail. There was also a high chance that she would be killed by a gorgeous but arrogant Prince. So anything Raye could tell her, whether it was myth or fact, would help her put things into order. Maybe Raye’s story would spark a memory in her or strike a chord of recognition. Anything. Serenity desperately wanted some answers; she wanted to know what she was doing here. 

 

Serenity looked up to find Raye watching her face; probably understanding Serenity’s internal turmoil. 

 

“The Healers are a great legend. They are an ancient race, and it has been said that their powers were granted to them by Selene herself,” Raye began.

 

“Powers?” questioned Serenity. 

 

“Yes…the powers that are believed to be granted to them by Selene are the powers to heal—that is why they are called the healers. Legend says that the blood of healers has some sort of healing properties and it allows them to heal wounds, cuts, and some advanced healers can even save lives,” Raye said and then paused, giving Serenity time to absorb the new information. 

 

Blood with healing properties? How could that be possible? Serenity’s mind probed and examined all the new bits and information. But if I’m a healer, that means I have the ability to heal? 

 

Serenity looked down at her hands. She flexed and opened her hands and gazed at them in wonder. 

Serenity’s questioning eyes found Raye, “I can’t be a healer; I have never healed anyone with my blood. In fact, every time I get hurt, my wounds don’t heal fast either. Wouldn’t I feel something if my blood was that special?”

 

“Not necessarily, you didn’t let me finish my story. Your blood has special properties yes, but alone it can’t do anything. There are necklaces that were blessed by Selene, and they were given to the heads of each healing families. There were nine original healing families, and each received a necklace. All the necklaces were unique and had distinctive powers. These necklaces have a pendant or a locket, and the pendant is activated when the blood of the head of the family is inserted into the locket.” 

 

Raye paused and then added, “So you see Serenity, one would need both the locket and the blood to activate their healing powers. They would need a locket exactly like the one around your neck.” 

 

My necklace? Serenity looked down at the necklace resting against her chest and held the rose encrusted crescent moon in her hand. This locket had healing powers? 

 

“That isn’t just an ordinary necklace Serenity. From the moment I saw it, I could tell it was special because of the symbols engraved on it. But when I held it, I felt the warmth emancipating from it and I knew exactly what this necklace was.” 

 

Raye looked up from the pendant and noticed Serenity’s confused expression and she backtracked, “Sorry I forgot to tell you. I’m a priestess and I can feel the vibes from objects I touch. I get visions too.”

 

Raye moved from leaning against the bars to the torch hanging at the side of the room.   
“For months I’ve been having visions of an impending war, a war where Beryl will attempt to spread her darkness to every corner and crevice of this earth,” Raye’s voice droned in a trance and she visibly shivered. In an attempt to rid herself of the memories or the cold, Raye fanned her hands out in front of the flame. 

“That’s why everyone has been more tense lately, they’re preparing themselves to hear news of Beryl’s first attack” said Raye and then her face brightened. 

 

“Actually, that’s probably why they were so cold towards you. They couldn’t possibly let you roam around freely when you look so suspicious.”

 

“Hmm…I suppose, but he could have used a nicer approach” mumbled Serenity.

 

Raye chuckled and said, “I’ve seen visions of a moon maiden lately though. She emits warmth and glows and she seems to be the only one who can drive away the darkness.” 

 

Raye looked over in Serenity’s direction and added, “She actually looks a lot like you; long blond hair and blue eyes…”

 

“Me? I’m not a moon maiden in any form” said Serenity, her voice a pitch higher.

 

“That’s true, but maybe that locket led you here, I mean you just received it from your Grandmother right?”

 

“Yeah, but how could it? It should be activated for its powers to work right, but it hasn’t been activated yet. My blood hasn’t touched the locket…” 

 

Then it hit her. Her gaze drifted down to the small gash on her index finger. Like a movie playing on a screen, her memories from the morning drifted through her mind. 

 

Serenity felt a sharp prick of pain, and she looked down to see that she was gripping her locket so hard that the vines from the engraving had pierced her skin…A drop of blood fell onto the locket as she brought her finger to her mouth… She noticed the crystal in the middle of the locket glowing… Serenity touched the crystal and felt that it was warm… It had never glowed before… Why was it glowing now?

Her blood had entered the locket. The necklace was activated. She was a healer. Oh shit. Did she want to be a healer? She didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t be responsible for other’s lives; I mean what if she failed. She couldn’t live with herself if she was accountable for another person’s death. 

 

And suddenly she realized she was being shook. Her cloudy gaze narrowed in on Raye’s concerned purple eyes. 

 

“Serenity, what’s wrong? Are you alright? Is this some kind of a side effect of the travelling?”

 

“I-I’m o-okay” Serenity stuttered but she knew her voice gave it away when Raye rolled her eyes at her.

 

“Oh no you’re not, here drink some water” said Raye, holding a glass of water in front of her. 

 

Water? Serenity took the glass from Raye’s hands and gulped it down to soothe her dry throat. That’s when she finally noticed that they were not alone in the jail cell. There was a servant standing to Raye’s left. Raye must have summoned him when Serenity was in her daze. Exactly how long had she zoned out for?

 

She finished drinking the glass and Raye asked, “So now tell me what happened?”

 

Serenity eyed the servant nervously. He wasn’t watching her, but was looking far off in the distance. Upon noticing this, Raye dismissed the servant with a, “You may go now Dronus.”

 

They listened and waited until his footsteps sounded further away. 

 

Serenity began cautiously, “I think I may have accidentally activated the necklace, and I guess that is what brought me here.” Then, a thought struck her and she continues, “But why me Raye? Why am I needed? There are eight other families aren’t there, so why was I brought here?”

 

“The race of the healers is pretty much extinct Serenity. Because of your extraordinary powers, your people have been sought out and used for others purposes. Some have been used excessively by others and some have been killed by Beryl while she was gathering her power. I think you may be one of the very few healers left on this planet” said Raye carefully. 

 

Serenity jumped up from her spot, and paced to the left and paced to right while frowning and mumbling to herself. Serenity was aware of Raye’s watchful gaze on her but she needed this time to sort things out. 

 

Finally Serenity belted, “Raye, I’m not sure about this. I don’t know if I can handle the responsibility of someone else’s life and I don’t know what to do at all and this time and place is completely new to me and on top of that no one really likes me here and I’m sure I don’t belong here at all.” Serenity slumped to the ground and took a deep breath in to steady herself. 

 

Raye walked over to Serenity and knelt down in front of her. She placed a hand on Serenity’s knee and comforted her, “I know this is all confusing and you’ve been through a lot today but I can help you along the way. We can work through all of this together and we can figure out the connection between you and my time. Together we can find a way to send you home.” Raye squeezed her knee and smiled warmly at her. 

 

Serenity was consoled by Raye’s words and she felt herself grow calm and her breathing steady. A thought crawled at the back of Serenity’s mind. She didn’t know if the calmness she felt was because of Raye’s words or her priestess powers. 

 

Serenity confided, “I’m confused Raye, I know nothing of healers or their powers, or my ancestors apparently,” she added as an afterthought. 

 

“Come with me; we have a library that has more information about the legend of the healers,” said Raye as she got up from the floor, and dusted off the skirt of her red dress. 

 

Serenity would do anything to get out of this dark and damp cell so she got up to follow Raye, trying not to think about what the Prince’s orders. Serenity tucked her necklace inside the neckline of her dress. She had told Raye about the necklace, but that didn’t mean she wanted everyone to see it. 

 

She walked behind Raye up two flights of stairs, past the guards, and down a long, lavishly decorated hallway. 

 

“Well, what do I expect? They are royalty,” thought Serenity. The idea still amazed and freaked her out at the same time. 

 

Serenity was now walking in stride with Raye and she asked, “How do you know all about these legends Raye?”

 

A wistful smile settled on Raye’s lips, “My Grandmother. She used to tell me these legends every night as a bedtime story and I loved them. When she passed away, I continued my love for learning about legends and myths by reading all the books about them that I could find in the library. Of course, my visions tend to show me things related to these legends.”

 

Raye turned to Serenity as she stopped before, “I’m fascinated by legends and standing here, talking to someone who could be a healer is quite an honor.” 

 

Serenity smiled at her enthusiasm as Raye continued chatting animatedly. 

 

“In fact, my Grandmother used to tell me that her best friend was a healer and she showed me a picture of them together. Her friend was quite beautiful, with blond hair and light blue eyes. She actually looks just like…you,” Raye ended with her eyes wide.   
“Come with me” said Raye and she grabbed Serenity’s hand and pulled her inside the room.

 

If Serenity had been astonished at the entrance to this castle, she was absolutely floored at the library. The cathedral ceilings were huge and the library was decorated with plush carpets covering the floor and big comfy chairs for reading. Every wall was covered with stacks of books as far as the eye could see, except for one wall. This one wall was completely glass and allowed the viewer a scenery filled with lush trees and a beautiful crystal clear lake. 

 

Astonished, Serenity’s eyes swept over every inch of the library, completely forgetting about Raye. 

 

“Endymion renovated this library himself, he spends most of his time here” called Raye’s voice from Serenity’s right. 

 

Raye was standing before an antique desk and held a picture in her hand. There were two big books open on the table. Raye sure worked fast. 

 

Wait a minute—the Prince commissioned this awe-inspiring library? What would that pig do in here? Maybe the Prince had some redeeming qualities after all. 

 

“Come over here and take a look at this picture” called Raye. 

 

Serenity walked over to Raye’s stance by the table and took the picture from her. She looked down at the black and white photograph of two ladies smiling up at her. The lady on the right had long black hair and blue eyes. Raye’s Grandmother. The other lady was what made Serenity catch her breath. 

 

A blond haired lady with blue eyes, just a shade lighter than Serenity’s gazed up at her. Serenity couldn’t take her eyes off of the woman’s face. She noticed there was a caption at the bottom of the photograph. 

 

“Raye?” Serenity asked slowly. 

 

“Serenity?” answered Raye. 

 

“What was your Grandmother’s name?” questioned Serenity, enunciating every word.

 

“Minerva Rei Vanderwood” said Raye, just as slowly. 

 

Indeed, the caption read Ms. Minerva Vanderwood and Ms. Rose Vanderbilt. 

 

Grandmother? Grandma Rose? What was she doing in this picture? 

 

“Raye, this is m-my G-grandmother.” 

 

“Yes Serenity. This means you aren’t the only healer; you received your powers from your Grandmother. She was a healer too.” 

 

“But how—how is that possible?” said Serenity flabbergasted. 

 

“I believe your Grandmother knew how to travel between our two worlds. My Grandmother used to tell me that her friend would travel to our world when she was needed, but she lived mostly in the other world because her life was in danger here. Beryl will kill any healers she finds because they are a threat to her and her kingdom Serenity” said Raye. 

Serenity remembered her Grandmother’s absences; the weeks she would miss their weekly bonding time because of important business or her ill health. Grandma Rose would also be very tired and worn out when she returned from these business trips, dismissing any cuts or bruises as a result of her clumsiness. Serenity had passed it off as a child because of her naivety, but now all these memories came back to her quite easily. 

 

“I knew you seemed familiar but I couldn’t remember why. It was because you ressemble your Grandmother so much” recalled Raye. 

 

“Your Grandmother also gave you this necklace right?” Raye continued gingerly. 

 

“Y-yes” and Serenity remembered the wistful and guarded glances of her Grandmother on the day she had passed on her locket to Serenity and her death right after. 

 

“Oh my gosh, my Grandmother was a healer and that’s why all of this is happening.”

 

“I—I remembered something else Serenity. You’re Grandmother wasn’t an ordinary healer. For some reason, her powers were stronger than the preceding healers.”

 

Raye turned to the desk and flipped through the pages of the first book. Finding nothing, she turned to the second book and flipped through its pages. She found what she was looking for and stared hard at the page.

 

Scowling down at the page, Raye mumbled, “This is odd…”

 

“What is?” Serenity moved beside Raye and Raye showed her the page she was looking at. 

 

Raye explained, “Remember how I told you that there were nine noble families that Selene bestowed her powers upon and gave them their necklaces?” 

“Yeah?” answered Serenity. 

 

“Well look at this picture, your locket isn’t among any of these…” said Raye.

 

This was true. Of all the nine necklaces, none of them resembled her rose encrusted crescent mooned locket. 

 

A thought apparently struck Raye because she flipped through more pages until she stopped at one particular photograph. 

 

“No way…” murmured Raye, her purple eyes glued to the page.

 

“What—what did you find?” asked Serenity as she tried to look around Raye’s hand. 

 

“What the hell is she doing here?” bellowed a deep voice from behind Serenity. 

 

Oh no. The Prince marched into her line of vision and stood before Serenity and Raye fuming. 

 

His eyes turned into an icy river as he glared daggers at Serenity. His mouth stood in a firm straight line and his hands were balled at his side. 

 

“Raye, how could you let her out of the dungeons? She is the enemy. She is working with Beryl” he shouted. 

 

How dare he? He’s speaking as if I’m not even present. Does he not even trust his sister? What a—

 

“No she is not” said a cool, level headed voice. 

 

Both Serenity and Endymion snapped their heads towards Raye. 

 

Endymion fumed, evidently annoyed with his sister’s stupidity. “How can you be sure? You don’t know—

 

“Serenity is a descendent of Selene herself” said Raye. 

 

“What—I am a WHAT?” called out Serenity. 

 

“You’re necklace isn’t in those nine families because you’re necklace belonged to Selene herself. That is why it’s the symbol of the moon; Selene’s domain” said Raye. 

 

“Are you mad? Her—a descendent of Selene?” asked the Prince. 

 

“Look right over here” said Raye as she turned the book to show them both the photograph in the book. 

 

There, as plain as day, was a photograph of Serenity’s necklace and locket. Both Serenity and Endymion stared at the book in awe. 

 

“Selene was also a healer; I seemed to have forgotten that fact. That is why your Grandmother was such a powerful healer, and you more than likely will also be very powerful” said Raye, her eyes twinkling with knowledge. 

 

“She cannot be a healer” cried Endymion indignantly. 

 

Raye filled Endymion in on all the happenings of the morning and all that they had discovered. As the two discussed these findings, Serenity tried to make sense of everything. So she had travelled back in time and she was a descendent of Selene, a goddess, and she was a healer and a powerful one at that. 

 

What was happening to her life?

 

“This doesn’t change anything, you will still be treated as a prisoner here” said Endymion, apparently speaking to her. 

 

“You may be useful to us so you will be kept alive longer. You are not allowed to leave this castle and your room will be extremely close to mine so I can keep a watch on you. Frankly speaking, I do not trust you” said the Prince of Earth. 

 

This irked Serenity’s temper, which was usually calm and under control. 

 

“I am not the enemy. I have not done anything wrong, do you understand this? I have been yanked out of my life and pushed into a time where I don’t know anything and now I find out I am a healer and a descendent of a goddess” shouted Serenity. 

 

“And you, YOU keeping making my life harder. I am not a toy that you can use. You cannot control me and tell me what to do” Serenity said, emphasizing each word with a jab at Endymion’s chest.

 

She continued until she cornered him against a bookshelf, “Just who do you think you are? You cannot tell me what to do. I am the healer. I can help you. YOU need me, do you understand this? She jabbed his chest one last time and glared at him.

 

Endymion looked down at the tiny little spitfire. He didn’t expect such a tirade from her but she had surprised him. She could stand up for herself. She was standing so close to him that he could feel her warm breath against his neck. Her cheeks were red and her cerulean blue eyes narrowed. She looked absolutely adorable. 

 

What the hell was he thinking? Gaining control of his emotions, he said “You may be a healer Serenity, but you are still an outsider on these grounds.”

He smirked at her. The bastard smirked at her! After all she held over him, being a healer and all, he had the nerve to laugh at her. 

 

Serenity began, “How dare you – ” Serenity felt dizzy and all of a sudden, everything went black.   
Endymion caught her right before she hit the floor. He looked down at her pale face. What the hell happened? 

 

Endymion gently laid her onto the floor and felt her pulse. He let out a sigh of relief when he felt the steady pulse beating against his fingers. 

 

“She’s alright” he said to Raye, who was leaning over Serenity in concern. 

 

“She must be exhausted and overwhelmed. She found out she wasn’t who she thought she was today; that’s enough to tire anyone. She needs a good rest, I’ll ring for someone to bring her to her room” Raye said as she got up to call over a servant.

 

“I’ll take her” Endymion’s voice rang out in the empty room. 

 

Raye’s surprised look must reflect the surprised look on his own face, Endymion thought. He picked up the petite form and carried her from the room without another word to Raye. 

 

As he walked, he wondered why he had said those words. Why had he volunteered to take her to her room when any old servant could easily accomplish the task? He looked down at Serenity’s face, as if silently asking for some answers. At that moment, Serenity mumbled something inaudible in her sleep and snuggled closer to him. His heart picked up speed and he faltered in his stride. What the—? It just surprised him that’s all, reasoned Endymion. 

By the time Endymion placed Serenity’s sleeping form on the bed, he has convinced himself that he had decided to take the girl to her room because he didn’t want to bother the servants with such a mundane task. It had absolutely nothing to do with her adorable, pent-up angry face or her fiery temper or her gorgeous face. 

 

Yes, he had convinced himself to drop her on the bed and march straight out of the room. But as he turned to leave, Serenity murmured something in her sleep again. 

 

He did not know why he was so drawn to her but Endymion found himself sitting on the edge of her bed. As he watched her rather fragile form sleep, Endymion thought about the day’s events. According to Raye, this girl wasn’t a traitor, but she was in fact a healer. No, of course he didn’t feel any relief at that fact. He was merely happy that he wouldn’t have to interrogate her now. But, one could never be too careful; the girl may have found a way to evoke the Priestess’s compassionate side. He would still, nonetheless, have to keep her close until she could control her so called healing powers. 

 

Endymion watched as a strand of hair, loose from her ponytail, flew across her closed eyes. On its own, his hand moved forward to brush away the strand. As he moved it away, he noticed how silky smooth her skin was. 

 

What am I doing? As if burned, Endymion abruptly retracted his hand. There is something wrong with me. I don’t even know if I can trust her. I’m just tired, he reasoned. It’s been a long day. With one last look thrown Serenity’s way, Endymion stalked out of her room and down two doors to his room. 

Little did he know, both their lives would never be the same from that day forward.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The Hazy fog clouded Serenity's vision as she walked in a daze. The fog cleared slightly and Serenity noticed she was in a garden that looked very familiar to her. As she walked towards a wooden bench, situated near a pond, she had the sudden realization that this was Grandmother Rose's garden. Sure enough, off in the distance, she could see her Grandmother's spacious cottage home.

As she moved closer to the spot where she had spent a good portion of her childhood reading and painting, Serenity noticed the figure of a woman sitting on the bench.

Quickening her stride, Serenity reached her destination and gasped.

"Grandma Rose?" she gulped.

Her Grandmother sat with her usual poise, elegance and grace upon the bench. Her blond hair, streaked with white, was up in its usual style, loose curls cascading over her shoulder; her soft blue eyes twinkling at Serenity.

"Yes Serena, I could feel you calling me and I will always be here for you when you need me. Just as I promised."

"Oh Grandma, I've missed you so much," gushed Serenity as she enveloped her Grandmother in a hug; clinging to her tight as the older woman ran a soothing hand back and forth across Serenity's back.

Leaning back, Serenity wiped the tears away that had built up in her eyes.

"I know honey, I've missed you too," said her Grandmother.

"Grandma, I'm so confused, I mean you're a healer and I just found out I'm a healer; why didn't you tell me?" pleaded Serenity.

"You were too young, and it wasn't time for you to know. It was better for you to find out yourself, love," she said, smiling.

Serenity was so overwhelmed that she found herself bombarding her Grandmother with questions, "But I don't know if I can do it. I don't know anything about being a healer."

Grandma Rose placed a comforting hand on Serenity's knee and said, "You can do this Serenity. You were chosen to be a healer by Selene herself; not everyone in the family is given this power."

"But how can I save lives when I don't know what to do," begged Serenity. She felt the tears building again and tried diligently to hold them back.

"Serenity, listen to me. I've known you your entire life. You are kind and compassionate and I see so much of myself in you. You have this power inside you, you were born with it, and you will learn how to use this power. Just believe in yourself Serenity."

Serenity found herself pulled into another hug.

"Thank you Grandma. I'll try my best to make you proud," she whispered.

"I know you will. That's why you're my favorite Granddaughter," she said, kissing Serenity's cheek.

Serenity giggled at her Grandmother's antics and suddenly her heart felt much lighter. It felt better to share her worries with her grandmother Rose. She knew she would always miss this about her.

"Hmm…if only that insufferable jerk would disappear. I can't stand that arrogant, pig-headed Prince," Serenity spat.

Her Grandmother let out a chuckle, "He's not as bad as you think Serena. I've met him a few times, when he was younger of course and I'm sure he must have grown to be quite a looker."

"I hate him. He is hell bent on making my life miserable."

"There is a thin line between hate and love, my dear and I am sure you will come to understand our Prince better than you think," her Grandmother proclaimed.

Serenity's vision began to cloud and she felt herself drifting away from her Grandmother.

"It's time for you to wake up now Serenity. Remember one thing, I believe in you and I will watch over you every step of the way," she whispered as everything started to fade.

"I love you, Grandma," Serenity managed to squeeze in before everything faded to white.

Serenity forced her eyes open and found herself in a room that wasn't hers.

‘Oh right. This is my new prison cell.'

She didn't want to get up and snuggled deeper into her covers, but fate had other plans.

Hearing a knock on the door, Serenity mumbled a sleepy, "Come in."

"Oh good, you're finally awake. I was beginning to get worried about you," called Raye's familiar voice.

"Good morning Raye," Serenity greeted as she moved the covers off her face.

Raye had moved to the other side of her bed and was yanking open the curtains, shielding the huge windows.

Serenity blinked and squeezed her eyes shut as she was blinded by the sunlight blaring in through the windows.

‘Why on earth was it so bright already?'

"Raye, what time is it?"

"Umm…it's about 12:30," answered Raye from the far end of the room, apparently rummaging through an armoire.

"12:30? Oh my gosh, I've been asleep for that long?" Serenity exclaimed as she shot out of bed.

"M-mm, but it's time for you to take a bath and change those filthy clothes; you have to get to know that castle a little and get some fresh air, it'll be good to clear your head," said Raye with a knowing smile.

"That sounds like a good idea," she said, moving towards Raye.

Raye gave Serenity a white chiffon dress with gold detailing. Serenity moved her hands over it in admiration; the material was so light and soft.

"Thank you so much, Raye, I love it!"

"Well, you can't walk around dressed in those clothes; you would draw too much attention to yourself. So, Endymion commissioned this dress for you this morning and I agree that it suits you perfectly," she said, her eyes moving between Serenity and the dress in her hands.

"Why would he do that for me, and wait a minute…he commissioned this dress this morning and it's ready?" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise.

"He is the Prince, Serenity; it does have some benefits. And as to why he would do such a thing, I believe he may feel as if he caused your little fainting lapse and is apologizing or he may have taken a liking to you," Raye said, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Oh, that's highly unlikely. That jerk of a Prince probably did it to gratify his own ego—he probably can't stand the thought of having someone dressed inferiorly in his court" Serenity said, but Raye was already calling servants to ready her bath.

She blushed, remembering her fainting incident. She didn't usually faint so easily, but yesterday wasn't an ordinary day either.

‘Great, the Prince must think me a weakling.'

She shook her head to clear her thoughts, it didn't matter to her what the Prince thought.

Serenity looked about the room for the first time; this was her room. She would be lying if she said it wasn't beautiful. It had large windows covering one wall and a four poster bed sat in the middle of the floor. Serenity sighed; she almost felt like a Princess herself.

While she had been daydreaming it seemed that her bath had been prepared and now two servant girls were watching her expectantly.

"Oh, thank you very much," she said, moving into the bathroom.

As expected the bathroom took her breath away. Beige porcelain tiles covered the floor and a masterpiece of a bathtub took center stage. It was entirely made of marble and had intricate rose engravings around the edge. It looked almost too beautiful to use.

As Serenity moved to take off her clothes she noticed the two girls had followed her into the bathroom. She stared, waiting for them to say something. The girls stared blankly back.

Clearing her throat she asked, "Yes, may I help you?"

"We are supposed to help you undress and assist you with your bath," said the girl on the left, annoyance evident in her voice.

She didn't have to take that tone with her, she was honestly confused.

"I am perfectly capable of undressing myself. You may leave," she said in a cool voice.

Without a moment's hesitation both girls stalked out of the bathroom.

‘What rude little wenches! That buffoon of a Prince must still have me pegged as an enemy.'

Serenity stripped off her sundress and sank into the warm waters of the tub. She couldn't believe that people in this time needed help taking baths.

‘Couldn't they do anything on their own?'

Shrugging the thoughts out of her mind, she concentrated on her bath. This felt good and it smelt heavenly. A whiff of vanilla combined with coconut was overwhelming her senses and she felt herself relax for the first time. Thank god.

While relaxing in the warm water, Serenity decided she would explore the castle next; maybe head out and get some fresh air. Yes, it would be best to get to know the place she was considered a prisoner.

After about half an hour of soaking, scrubbing and unwinding, she stepped out of the tub and attempted to get dressed. Raye had laid out that beautiful dress on the marble countertop, at some distance from the bath.

For the next twenty minutes Serenity put on layers and layers of clothing. There was a chemise, a petticoat and various assortments of frills, laces and ribbons. So this was why there were servants to help her take a bath. She was an idiot! She should have trusted Raye's judgment.

Putting those thoughts aside, Serenity concentrated on tying the ribbon fastenings on the back of her gown. She tried for the next five minutes but couldn't manage to fasten them. Frustrated, she gave up and caught her reflection in the mirror. Her cheeks were a deep pink from frustration and annoyance. That's when she heard a noise from outside –a thud.

Raye must have come in to check on her.

‘Thank god!'

Serenity opened the bathroom door and burst into the bedroom.

"Raye, I really need your help with my –" she paused.

"What the hell are you doing in here?" cried Serenity, outraged for the Jerk sat comfortably on her bed.

"I need to ask you some questions because you see, unlike Raye, I am not so easily misled," Endymion retorted.

"Yes, you're delusional instead and you seem to have a hard time believing the truth," she bit back.

She expected a retort but he just stared at her. His eyes moved over her form slowly; pausing at areas where the gown hugged her figure. Serenity felt her breath catch in her throat at his blatant staring. She should smack some sense into him but she could barely breathe, let alone move.

His eyes followed the line of her dress until it reached her shoulders and his gaze lingered at that point before rising and meeting her eyes. His disconcerting hot gaze bored into hers. She noticed that his sapphire eyes had darkened to a midnight blue shade. She felt trapped by those eyes and found that she couldn't look away.

Endymion said something; she had no idea what it was.

She watched as his alluring eyes turned even darker and murmured, "Huh?"

"Your gown is slipping," Endymion informed her, all the while not breaking eye contact.

"Ah-hmmm," Serenity said and then his words set in.

Serenity looked down to find that the top of her gown had indeed slipped exposing her creamy shoulders and the top of her breasts. A blush set in as she held the gown closer to herself whilst glancing at the Prince. Endymion was staring at her quite openly with a smirk set on his face.

‘That bastard!' He seemed to understand exactly the effect his gaze and ogling had on her.

Angered by his arrogance, Serenity shouted, "You pig! You are such a pervert! How dare you enter a woman's room without her permission anyways?"

The smirk on the Jerk's face suddenly grew bigger.

"I'm not sure if your little brain comprehended the fact that this is my home and it is my duty to protect it from harm," Endymion said, narrowing his eyes at her. He continued to add, "You are not a guest here because I do not trust your intentions, so you will not be treated as a guest. It's quite simple actually." With that said, the bastard continued to lounge on her bed.

Serenity started to reply when she felt her gown slip more. She grasped the material to her chest and realized that something had to be done about her gown fastenings.

Sitting up on her bed, the Prince questioned, "Why does your gown keep slipping? I believe it was made in your size."

"My gown is untied. I needed help doing up the fastenings on my gown and I thought you were Raye when you barged into my room."

"I see, but shouldn't there be servant girls helping you with your bath?"

"They were being rude so I sent them away," she answered defiantly. "But I didn't know about the fastenings…" she added truthfully.

"Well Raye has gone on an errand but I could do them for you, if you want," he drawled.

Serenity's eyes widened in surprise and she exclaimed a "No way!"

"Suit yourself."

They both sat in silence and Serenity's resolve crumbled. She had to do up her gown eventually. She couldn't sit in her room, waiting for Raye's return.

She peeked at Endymion from the corner of her eye; he looked bored as his shared room.

Mustering up her courage, she mumbled a, "Fine," in Endymion's direction.

"Fine what?"

"Y-you can help me with my dress," stuttered Serenity, fidgeting with the skirt of her gown.

Serenity missed the knowing smile playing on Endymion's lips.

"Fine, if I must," he sighed and got up from her bed and moved towards her.

Turning around, facing away from him she reached for and pulled her ponytail over her shoulder, exposing her back to him.

Endymion stepped closer and she could feel the warmth radiating off his body. Her heartbeat, for some unknown reason increased speed. He reached for the first ribbon and began tying it.

She focused her thoughts on examining her room. Every little detail, anything to keep her thoughts away from him; it was quite large and beautifully decorated in pastel tones and deeper shades. She really liked her bed, it was a four poster bed; she found it quite elegant and beautiful. She absolutely loved the large windows and the view was so spectacular – Serenity felt her breath hitch in her throat at the sight.

Meanwhile, Endymion's fingertips had moved in a casual manner having accidentally brushed against her skin.

"Sorry," Endymion whispered in Serenity's ear.

She opened her mouth to respond but no words came out. Endymion had moved on to the next ribbon and began fastening it. Serenity tried to return to her previous line of thought - her room, right. But try as she might, she was unable to focus on anything other than the man behind her.

‘Is he getting closer? Was that even possible?'

She felt his warm breath on the back of her neck just as his hand slipped and caressed her skin one more time. Her breath hitched higher in her throat, and her stomach did a somersault.

"Sorry," Endymion repeated, closer to her ear this time.

Serenity shuddered; all of a sudden the room was getting unbearably hot.

Endymion continued fastening her dress, his accidental touches lingering longer with each ‘sorry' he uttered. His caresses were doing weird things to her insides. She felt her body becoming more in tuned to Endymion's every action and movement. With each passing touch, Serenity's mind grew more hazy, clouded with thoughts of only the Prince.

Endymion had no idea what he was doing. It had started out as a joke. He loved seeing Serenity all flustered and nervous. She looked adorable all fired up, but then he had touched her. Electricity had coursed through him when he touched the velvety smooth texture of her skin. Then she shuddered; her responses stirring something deep inside him. His desire to touch her and her reactions to his caresses made him continue touching and caressing her.

He noticed that his own breathing had become labored and the world had faded away to just himself and Serenity. His senses were heightened and riveted on the woman before him.

As he finished fastening her gown he realized he didn't want to let her go. Letting his hand drift back down her back, feeling her silky soft skin beneath his callused fingers; the prince heard her gasp as his hands brushed her lower back.

Serenity gasped. ‘My god, I've never felt this good before!'

Her back ram-rod straight, her entire body tense; anticipating, waiting for his touch.

Suddenly, Serenity was spun around and found herself in Endymion's arms. For the second time that day, she was mesmerized by beautiful blue eyes. Why was he so gorgeous? Endymion's eyes bored into her own before his gaze dropped to her mouth. They were merely a few inches apart from one another now. She wanted him to touch her more.

Endymion closed the gap between them and claimed her lips with his own. Why he had done so, he hadn't a clue. She may be a traitor, but he couldn't deny that she was breathtakingly beautiful. All he knew was he wanted to be close to her; he wanted to taste her. He wanted to feel her against him, to feel her soft lips. Serenity's eyes were wide with surprise at his sudden invasion and struggled a little. The kiss started off, coaxing Serenity into a heady daze. She was twisting and moving against him, but this only fueled his passion further. His lips moved over hers in a gentle motion. He felt her give in to the pleasure and relax in his arms.

Wanting more, he traced her lips with his tongue and nibbled on her lower lip. Serenity gasped and let out a small moan, surprised at the pure surge of pleasure running through her veins. Endymion used this opportunity to slip his tongue into her open mouth. At first, the sensation of his tongue's caresses dancing with hers was incredible.

‘Oh gods; she tastes like chocolate and honey, it is pure heaven.'

He watched as her eyes fluttered shut and she became putty in his hands; taking this submissiveness as a sign. Tilting her head to a better angle so he could taste her sweet mouth, a far better angle; no kiss had ever been this good, not even close. Endymion deepened the kiss; his tongue moving faster and harder against Serenity's tongue.

She moaned, "P-Prince-"

His name on her tongue sounded erotic but he wanted to hear his real name. He wanted her to say Endymion. The kiss turned fiercer, more erotic, and more animalistic.

‘God, I've never felt this way before. What is it about this woman that turns me into an animal?'

The need for oxygen became more predominant and he broke away from her heavenly lips only to trail wet kisses down her neck. Her gasping and moaning made him want more and more. The prince felt her every curve and contour before finding his way to her chest. Moving to her right breast, he began stroking it with feather light touches. His eyes moved to Serenity's face and he noticed that her eyes were still closed. But her expression held him captive. Her face wore an expression of pure, unadulterated pleasure with those flushed cheeks, swollen red lips which were parted slightly. He stroked the tip of her breast and she let out a deep moan, those eyes squeezing shut tighter.

Endymion wanted her to feel more. He wanted to hear her scream his name. Watching her face, Endymion squeezed Serenity's breast.

Serenity's eyes shot open and Endymion watched the haze clear from her eyes. Realization dawned upon her and she realized exactly what they were doing.

"W-what a-are you doing?" her hoarse voice cracked as she spoke.

"What do you mean what am I doing?" Endymion said as he let his hand fall from her chest.

Serenity's expression turned frantic and she pushed Endymion back, falling out of his embrace.

"How dare you touch me! Y-you pervert, stay away from me!" shrieked Serenity, regaining her voice.

"A-a pervert?" Endymion sputtered stupidly. "I was not doing anything alone. You were actively participating in what just happened," he added indignantly.

"I was not; I DID NOT want any of w-what just happened," Serenity spat in disgust. She moved further away from him, tears brimming in her eyes.

Endymion stared blankly at her. What the hell was wrong with her? He knew he wasn't the only one enjoying what they were doing. So why was she acting this way now?

Letting out a frustrated sigh, he decided he didn't care. He didn't have the time for her antics.

‘I was an idiot to have kissed her in the first place! Why did I do that? I don't even know if she works for Beryl or not, I just need to stay away from her,' he concluded to himself.

"You know what, you can believe what you want, but you wanted what just happened as much as I did," shouted Endymion as he moved towards the door.

He left the room slamming the door shut behind him in frustration.

‘God, I hate that woman!' he thought furiously.

He walked away, leaving a distraught Serenity behind.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: A Proposal

The setting sun played against the sky-high windows that lined the dining hall walls. The candle-lit crystal chandelier overhead lit the entire length of the long table at which they sat. The dining hall was filled with laughter and chatter as breads were torn and soups were sipped.

A maid was found standing every few meters along the table, poised to bring second portions or to reheat the food as the guests deemed necessary.

Two ladies dressed in gowns of brilliant green and purple, seated to Serenity's left, rambled about their suitors and their upcoming nuptials.

Serenity's spoon clanked against her bowl as she took a sip of her mushroom soup; it burned her tongue a little but she hardly flinched. She was too busy thinking.

She couldn't believe that a week had passed by since she had landed in an unknown world, set in an unknown time. Her entire world had turned upside down in an instant. She didn't know how her family was coping, or what they thought of her disappearance.

Hell, they probably thought she had gotten cold feet before her wedding, and what about Seiya.What did he think about her sudden disappearance?

Her mind awash with memories, Serenity looked around the large dinner table in a daze. The generals seated near the head of the table were immersed in conversation amongst themselves. The blond haired Jadeite was reenacting a training session that had occurred earlier in the day with vivid hand gestures.

The atmosphere in the room was a comfortable and lively one. Everyone talked, laughed and had animated discussions with their neighbors.

A few members of court, with whom she was unacquainted, sat at the other end of the table. They leisurely ate their food as if they had all the time in the world.

Serenity was seated in the middle of the rectangular table, close enough to the generals so that she could hear their banter, or close enough for them to keep an eye on her. She suspected that was the true reason why she was given a seat in proximity to the head of the table, especially when that head despised her so much.

For what was probably the tenth time that day, Serenity's gaze drifted to the chair at the head of the table. The chair, whose owner had caused her a weeks' worth of misery. The chair that was presently empty.

That's right, the certifiable jerk-face, as she had recently named him, wasn't there! In fact, he hadn't been in the castle for the better part of the week. She had not seen or heard from the jerk-face since that morning. Not that he had any obligation to her, mind you. It wasn't as if she was dying to see him either.

In fact, this worked better because she didn't have to see his arrogant, princely face, or experience those odd tingling sensations he had a tendency to induce in her.

But...she needed to see him to tell him that whatever happened between them was a big mistake that should not have happened and would never happen again. She was not in her right state of mind that morning was all.

Serenity cast another look at the empty chair. She ought to stop doing that.

`Stop looking at the bloody chair,' she told herself.

Serenity ripped her eyes away to meet amused amethyst ones. Raye sat across from her at the dinner table and she was sure it was because she wanted to keep her company.

"Something bothering you? Are you missing someone?" asked Raye.

"Huh-what...No!" she shouted.

"You don't miss your family, your home?" said Raye with an innocent look.

"Oh.I thought you meant.Yes, of course I miss my family. But I think they'll be okay. They just think that I ran away from my own wedding...," she said, mumbling the last part.

"Hmm." said Raye, her eyes smiling as she returned to her food.

In this past week, Serenity had found a true friend in Raye. An ally in a land filled with unknowns. They had talked, well mainly Serenity had talked about her life and Raye had listened attentively.

Raye seemed to be fascinated with the modern world, especially when Serenity had told her about cars, computers and cell phones.

Raye hadn't said much about her life, mainly because she was too immersed in Serenity's stories. But, she had learned that Raye and Endymion lived in the palace with the generals and a host of others all part of the palace hierarchy.

Endymion was the highest authority as Prince since their father, King Dartagnan was ill. Raye had told Serenity how her father's health had started to deteriorate after the death of her mother, nearly 5 years ago.

King Dartagnan was soon placed on bed rest in the castle and the all the duties that came with running a kingdom had fallen to Endymion, at the age of twenty-two.

According to Raye, Endymion had sincerely assumed all the responsibilities of a ruler, having shed his boyish ways to take care of his people. He had been in charge of the planet for five years.

Serenity couldn't comprehend how Earth had managed to survive.

She had to admit however, that she felt the tiniest bit of admiration for the Prince. Not only had he owned up to the responsibilities of running a kingdom, but also an entire planet at the young age of twenty-one. She would never be able to do it, but the fact that he had done just that for the past five years was impressive.

Just a little bit impressive. It still didn't give him the right to be such an arrogant, self-absorbed ass!

Other than the long talks, Raye had also shown Serenity the beautiful palace gardens. They were enormous in size, encircling the castle.

Whenever Serenity didn't have Raye to talk to, or anytime she felt lonely, she would come down to the gardens. Her favorite place was the rose garden. It was located in a hidden, shaded alcove and had the most beautiful blood-red roses.

In the past week, Serenity had found herself coming to the rose garden frequently to smell the beautiful flowers. The fragrance had a way of calming her nerves, making her feel safe.

"Serenity...Serenity...Hello?" Raye's voice drifted into her mind, scattering her thoughts.

She came out of her daze to find Raye waving a hand in front of her face.

"Serenity?" called Raye.

"Yes...I'm so sorry, were you saying something? I was just lost in my thoughts," the distracted blonde admitted with a sheepish smile.

Raye's face grinned back at her as she waved a nonchalant hand, "Meh, it happens to me all the time. So I was asking you if you would like to go for a walk."

Raye didn't get to finish her sentence because right at that moment, the doors to the dining hall opened with a thud.

Endymion strode into the dining hall, his riding boots thudding along the marble floor. Serenity's eyes stalked his form as he sat down at the head of the table.

He took off his black velvet riding cloak and handed it to the maid at his side. His black hair in disarray, a few strands falling into his eyes.

He looked haggard and tired; there were dark circles underneath his eyes and a three o' clock shadow upon his jaw line.

Endymion had barely sat down when another young maid, in a very short skirt, placed his dinner before him on the table, all the while giving him a flirtatious smile.

"Thank you," Endymion said, giving the maid a boyish grin.

The little creature giggled and sashayed out of the dining hall.

`Oh please,' Serenity scoffed mentally.

Endymion turned his attention to the now quiet dining table. His abrupt and apparently unexpected entry had silenced the lively crowd as they all watched him silently.

There was a tension in the air, as if they expected to hear something that would change their fate.

"How was it, my boy -your journey?" called an elderly gentleman, whose greying hair was tied in a pony-tail, from down the table.

"The situation was handled Uncle, not to worry," Endymion answered with a warm smile. "Now please everybody, go back to your eating and discussions. I am utterly famished for a good meal."

Laughter ignited from around the table as the tension dissipated as if it were never there. Everyone seemed at ease once again, well almost everyone.

Serenity noticed that the generals hadn't gone back to their earlier conversations, in fact, they sat with rigid backs and their worried eyes were fixed on their leader.

Malachite asked Endymion something and Serenity watched as all signs of good humor disappeared from the Prince's face.

She watched for a few minutes and realized that the men were having a low-key discussion amongst themselves and she couldn't hear a word of what they were saying.

Serenity's eyes flicked over to Raye, on the other side of the table, and noticed that she too was watching them with a worried look marring her usually jovial face.

What the hell was going on? Serenity had no idea where Endymion had disappeared to over the previous week. She had attempted to discreetly question Raye as to his whereabouts, and her vague answer was that he had been called out on some official business.

Although Serenity had not been satisfied with the answer, she knew that asking more questions would raise unwanted questions about why she was so concerned.

But where had Endymion gone? Why was everyone so concerned, now that he was back? What was going on?

Serenity chanced another look at the Prince and his generals. They were still immersed in conversation, Endymion's eyebrows thrown together in a frown.

He hadn't looked at her once since his return. He was either ignoring her existence or he didn't even remember that she existed. Or he didn't care. None of these ideas sat right with her.

Just then, as if he sensed her eyes on him, his sapphire-blue ones caught her own. They stared at her with such intensity that she was sure that he could tell what she was thinking and that her thoughts had just turned to that morning they had shared together.

Serenity abruptly broke the gaze and stared down at her plate.

Looking into his eyes made something inside her twist and thump. She felt weird, nervous. She was sure he could tell exactly what she felt by looking at her face, and she did not want to expose herself to him.

As the evening came to an end, guests started vacating the table, leaving in throngs of two or more. Serenity decided it would be best for her to retire as well as she didn't want to risk a meeting with the jerk.

As she gulped down her dinner, she didn't chance any further glances in the Prince's direction. She decided that it would be best if she avoided any possible and all unnecessary contact with the Prince. Yes, that would be the best thing for her.

Serenity said her goodbyes to Raye, left the dining hall and walked down the hallway to the left wing, where her room was located.

While she walked down the long corridor, Serenity thought about the Prince. What had happened to make him leave so unexpectedly?

She did not know what to make of the generals concern or Raye's worried face.

Serenity turned the corner and felt someone tug at her wrist and pull her back.

Her first reaction was to scream and she did just that. While she screamed, Serenity kicked her leg back as hard as she could, and felt her heel connect with the attacker's shin.

"GOD DAMMIT, WOULD YOU SHUT UP?" was her attacker's disgruntled response.

Serenity whirled around to find the Prince hopping on one leg, while he rubbed his shin on the other. His face was contorted into a painful expression; his eyes jammed shut and his mouth clasped tightly together.

Man, her kick had sure made an impact.

"Why the hell are you following me?" shouted Serenity.

The Prince was still rubbing his tender shin as he bit out, "I was going to tell you that I needed a word with you, that is, before you went berserk on me."

"I was startled; anyone would have reacted the same way," scoffed Serenity. "Anyways, what did you want to speak to me about," she added.

His pain seemed to have subsided because he stopped rubbing his leg. "Not here. Follow me."

"I don't want -"Serenity began but stopped as she was fixed by his intent stare. Something about his gaze told her to listen to him, that this was important.

"Fine, but just this once."

Serenity followed him back the way she had come. She recognized the door Endymion stopped in front of as the one to the library.

They stepped inside the familiar room and Endymion closed the door behind them. He then paced to the other end of the library and proceeded to light the fire in the ornate fireplace.

Serenity moved closer to him but stopped at the end of a long worktable. She needed to keep a distance.

"So, now what? What did you want to say?" Serenity asked.

He still had his back to her as he knelt in front of the fireplace. The silence stretched out before them and she wasn't sure he would answer her question.

"I...I need to tell you where I was this entire week, why I left."

Serenity scoffed, "I don't particularly care were you went or what you did and-"

Endymion got up and whirled around to face Serenity. "And I don't particularly want to tell you. But it's important and it involves you, so listen."

The tension in his voice forced Serenity to listen and she grudgingly nodded.

He strode to the opposite end of the worktable and after a moment's pause continued, "The reason I was away all week was because there was a situation in the east."

"A situation? What type of situation?"

"One of our kingdoms in the east was attacked by Beryl's army, its lands ravaged, its people slaughtered, and the invaders took whatever they could get their hands on. Many were killed and families were torn apart."

Serenity didn't make a sound so Endymion continued with a sigh, "I don't know what it was she wanted. I do know that Beryl had asked Lord Augustine to join her, to supply her with soldiers and to fund her operations. But Augustine had refused her offer."

"Is-is that why she attacked his kingdom?" asked Serenity.

When Endymion answered her, his voice had an edge to it, "I don't know. I don't know if what she did was because she wanted to prove a point, to make an example out of Augustine, or if she was looking for something, or both. I don't know. All I know is

that this cannot happen again."

Endymion's face held a look of such hatred and disgust; his brows were knit together and his eyes had transformed into a frosty, steel blue color.

When he spoke again, his eyes became distant, "Beryl's attacks have been increasing in frequency and intensity for the past year. She has killed hundreds of people. My people. The fear of Beryl and her army is spreading and I'm afraid people won't be able to resist her like Augustine did."

"Why is she doing this? What does she want?" probed Serenity.

"She wants the kingdom," Endymion answered. "Beryl is actually nobility. Her father was a Lord and controlled one of the kingdoms to the south. Beryl's family and my family had a s-sort of alliance many years back but the alliance was broken because my father learned of Beryl's true nature. She was very ambitious and she was willing to go to any means, no matter how unmoral, to get what she wanted. I am sure that this is Beryl's revenge for breaking the alliance and denying her what she believed was hers - my kingdom."

"What type of alliance would grant her your kingdom?" Serenity asked, puzzled.

"That's not important." Endymion dismissed the question but continued to add, "What is important is that I know Beryl. She will not stop until she gets what she wants and she doesn't care how many people she has to hurt to get it. We have to stop her."

Serenity could now see justification for their aggressive behavior when they had thought she worked for Beryl. Beryl was a threat to their entire existence. But something about this entire conversation was bothering her.

"As sorry as I am about everything, I have to ask...why are you telling me all this? You don't like or trust me so why are you divulging this information to me?"

Endymion, who had begun pacing back and forth stopped, and turned to look at her. His icy blue gaze locked with hers, "Because we need you."

"W-what? What can I do? I do not know Beryl Endymion; I don't know how many times we have to go over this."

"No-no, I believe you when you say you have nothing to do with Beryl," he answered.

"Then what do you expect me to do?"

"I'm sure that Beryl will continue killing and she is moving closer to this kingdom with every attack. We have to wage war against her and her army. We need to stop her from destroying this planet."

Endymion must have seen the confused look on Serenity's face because he added, "You're a healer. If we are going to wage a war, there will be many casualties. Many of our people will be injured and having a healer on our side would really help. It would put us at an advantage. You would be our advantage."

His gaze never wavered from hers the entire time he spoke and Serenity knew he wasn't joking.

"Are you crazy? I-I don't know anything about being a healer. I don't know what to do! How could I save people's lives, I don't know how to!" Serenity huffed. She couldn't believe what he was saying. Was he mad?

"That's why I'm going to teach you," he replied in a calm voice.

"Excuse me?" Serenity blabbered.

"I'm going to hold daily training sessions with you; you have the talent so all you need to learn is how to draw it out and bring it to the surface. You just need to concentrate, to focus on your powers. Leave it to me."

He spoke with such certainty that Serenity was tempted to believe him. But how could she? She didn't know the first thing about being a healer. Hell, she had just learned she was one last week.

"I know nothing about being a healer and even if you teach me, I'm still new at all this. Everything is so new to me. How can you expect me to be accountable for the lives of your people? I can't do it Prince, I'm sorry."

Serenity whirled around and started to walk to the door but she only got a few feet away when she felt herself unable to move.

Endymion had grabbed onto her wrist and now electricity coursed up her arm.

"Please don't go. I know you're afraid because you're unsure of yourself. But all I ask is that you try. Please try," he said, now standing directly behind her.

His hand felt hot on her skin; his grip tight, desperate.

Serenity turned around to face him and he let go of her arm.

His gaze bore into hers; pleading, imploring her to say yes. But it was his next words, spoken softly that truly changed her mind.

"We have to stop her. We can't let her take any more lives. You can help put an end to this terror. Please Serenity."

She knew it was irrational and stupid, but she felt a small burst of joy at the fact that he remembered her name, that he knew whom she was.

"Fine. I can't make any promises about how useful I'll be but I'll try. For your people."

"Thank you, I'll see you here tomorrow at around five in the evening," he said and his face broke into a smile.

Great, now she would have to see his face every single day. She turned to leave but was stopped for the second time that day; his hand once again on her arm.

"What?" she barked.

"I just wanted to clarify that what happened that morning, that one morning, will never happen again," Endymion said.

"Good, I won't let it," Serenity threw back.

"It's not like I'm desperate to jump you, Princess. I just lost it that one time, poor judgment on my part. I don't know, there is something about you. something that irks me, something that makes me want to.you make me act like an idiot."

His grip on her arm was distracting her, it made her feel all warm and...different. But it wasn't enough to distract her from what he said.

Serenity turned around to face him. He looked like he was in a daze, his eyes glassy and his hands still clasped around her arm.

"What? I make you act like an idiot?"

Endymion came out of his daze and blinked down at his hand on her arm. He let go abruptly as if he was finally realizing what he was doing.

"Huh...no, no. that's not what I mean. What I meant to say was that I acted like an idiot that night. It was a temporary lapse in judgment is all, and it will not happen again."

What a jerk! Serenity stomped to the door and just as she reached it, she called out, "And I don't plan on letting a jerk like you take advantage of me again."

Before he could say a word, she slammed the door behind her and strode to her room.

God, I hate that man! Why do I always end up near him?

She turned the last corner and entered her room. As she shut the door behind her, Serenity looked down at the arm the jerk had clasped twice. It was still tingling. The bloody arm was still tingling.

Serenity fell down on her bed and buried her face into her pillow.

So much for avoiding him at all costs. Her life was about to get a little more complicated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and please, please review if you found the story worth your time.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Rays of blinding sunlight entered through the sheer, drawn curtains waking Serenity from her slumber. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she watched as the sunlight seeped into every nook and cranny of her bedroom and bounded off the locket resting against her chest. She had fallen asleep with it on again.

Serenity rolled over in bed, not wanting to get up yet. She dreaded the very idea of starting the day that would ultimately end in a one-on-one training session with the Prince.

After staring at the ceiling for what seemed like hours, she knew she had to get up and do something. After bathing, she dressed and made her way down to the dining hall for some breakfast; pleased she'd managed to learn how to work the fastenings on her dress in less than a week, finally able to dress herself without the help of maids.

It was still early; the sun having just risen, Serenity found herself eating breakfast alone. She preferred it this way; at least she wouldn't have to see his face again so soon.

She gulped down her eggs benedict and orange juice. She was used to rushing her breakfast so she could make it to her classes on time, back home.

Serenity decided to visit the palace gardens to distract her from thinking about the meeting.

As she made her way down the pebbled path and into the gardens, she felt the guard's eyes trailing her. She had noticed them watching her with such intensity every time she left the palace as if she were still considered potentially dangerous and untrustworthy. She entered the hedged maze that led to the rose garden and took a right at the corner.

The Prince probably believed that she would try to run away from the castle, which was why the guards remained alert whenever she left the impressive structure. Making another right turn, Serenity contemplated the running away idea. She probably should, but something stopped her. Aside from the fact that she didn't know where to run, how vast the castle grounds were or how heavily guarded its walls were made her take pause. There was another reason: they needed her, how could she bring herself to walk away from that? The bleary situation, to which she would find upon returning home, wasn't at all enticing.

Looking up, the fragrant scent of roses overwhelming her senses, she stepped into the alcove and found herself encircled by beautiful ruby-red roses. She took another whiff of the addicting aroma and felt herself calming down, her breathing steadier.

She loved it here, reaching up on tiptoe and touching a particularly long stemmed rose that had bloomed beautifully, careful so as not to prick her finger on its thorns, she inhaled its heady perfume. Serenity knelt on the ground and lost herself in her thoughts and the beauty of the roses. She was tempted to hide out in this alcove so she wouldn't have to face the Prince this evening; but her happiness was short-lived as Raye's voice drifted into her heaven-on-earth, "Oh, there you are. I thought I'd find you here."

Surprised, Serenity jumped at the sound of Raye's voice and pricked her finger on a thorn. Stubbing the flow of blood with her thumb, she turned around to greet Raye.

The raven-haired woman noticed her injured finger and apologized profusely, "I'm sorry Serenity; I shouldn't have surprised you like that."

A drop of her blood fell to the grass and a most unusual thing happened; the locket began to glow. She became aware of its warmth through the fabric of her dress.

She looked up to see if Raye had noticed, but she seemed more preoccupied with the fact that Serenity was in pain. Her worried eyes fixed upon Serenity's finger and she didn't seem to care much about the locket.

She smiled, shrugging off the incident, "It's all right; I was too caught up in the beauty of the garden to notice you."

Raye returned her smile, taking in the majesty of the garden, "You really love roses, don't you? You always look so happy and carefree here."

"It's absolutely stunning, I just feel drawn to it…I don't know why," said Serenity, her gaze sweeping across the rows of roses.

"Yes, Endy really outdid himself with this garden," said Raye.

"I'm sorry, what?" she sputtered.

"Endymion made this garden, he designed it. And he tends to it himself, he doesn't let any of the palace gardeners near it," said Raye, in a matter-of-fact voice.

"He designed this? Him?" asked an astonished Serenity. She couldn't comprehend how such a chauvinistic pig could create such a masterpiece.

"Mmmm-Hmmm," said Raye, clearly not at all perturbed by this fact.

How could such an arrogant man contribute to something so utterly beautiful? There must be something about him, a side of him, which she had yet to see…

Raye's voice crept into Serenity's thoughts, "So, I wanted to ask you if you like to accompany me to town for some shopping? You haven't left the castle walls yet and you could probably use some fresh air."

"I would love to," she replied. I could use the distraction, she mentally noted.

\---

With that said and done, they were off to a small, nearby town called Ravenhearst.

The day came and went, like a quick burst of wind, and before Serenity knew it, she was sitting in the dining hall eating supper. The day had flown by but she had thoroughly enjoyed herself.

Ravenhearst was a quaint little town, wedged between two valleys on a rise. The people were kind and survived mainly because of their artisanship. They made beautiful handcrafted jewelry, carpets and shawls.

Serenity had admired many things in the marketplace she and Raye had visited. Raye had attempted to purchase some of the items for Serenity, but she wouldn't have any of that. She was more than grateful for Raye's company; she could not let Raye buy her things as well.

Serenity's locket had been hidden beneath her gown as Raye had suggested before they left. They did not need the town people to be suspicious or to pry into the Royal family's business. Serenity had been grateful for that; she didn't want extra attention directed towards her anyway.

The main purpose for their visit, however, was to visit the seamstress. Raye needed to be fitted for a few more gowns and this time, she would not take no for an answer, as she had Serenity fitted for a few more gowns as well.

Sighing with contentment, she finished the remnants of her dinner; it was nice to forget about her worries for a while. She had felt at ease today with Raye, and so carefree. They had even munched on a freshly baked loaf of bread and had tasted a cocoa sponge cake at the bakery that afternoon.

Now, as the afternoon wore thin and gave way to the evening, Serenity desperately held onto those residual feelings of happiness. She didn't want to think about what the evening held for her, nor had she a clue what to expect from a meeting with the Prince.

She looked up at his chair at the head of the table, just as empty as it had been yesterday. She wondered what had kept him from dinner; had something happened again?

She eyed her plate, It was empty, her spoon suspended in mid-air. Oh great, her dinner was done. After staring at her empty plate for a few more minutes, she knew she had to stop avoiding the inevitable. Raye had left the dining hall quite a while ago; Serenity took her time eating her mashed potatoes.

She sighed, got up, and dragged herself with some reluctance to the library. She was worried about this training session. Part of it had to do with the Prince himself, and the other had to do with her own concerns about her powers. She didn't think she could do it. She didn't even know what it was. She had never worked her "powers" before; and she had no confidence that she could actually heal somebody. What if she failed?

She also didn't want to be in a room alone with the Prince, finding herself responding…oddly to him. She never felt that way with anyone before; and as much as she claimed she didn't want to be alone with him, she had to admit that a spark of excitement overpowered her whenever she saw him. Why did this happen? She couldn't stand that arrogant ass!

Her thoughts had led her right to the library door. Hesitating, her hand poised to knock; she stared at the mahogany door. Why was she being such a coward? Maybe he wasn't even inside; maybe he had been called out on some urgent business once again.

With her heart stuck in her throat, Serenity rapped her knuckles on the door. ‘Please don't let him be there, please don't let him be there, please-'

"Come in," beckoned a baritone voice.

Lovely, mentally revoking herself for her childishness, Serenity turned the brass doorknob and entered the library.

The sight that greeted her was unexpected.

The Prince was sitting at a worktable, situated near the fireplace, knee-deep in thick textbooks. He pushed his hair out of his eyes whilst leafing through pages of a massive textbook. He wore small, tidy black glasses perched upon the bridge of his nose, and they didn't seem to take away from his good looks, but enhanced them as he looked like a studious individual. He also seemed unaware of her presence as she watched him.

Serenity closed the door behind her softly. She waited a few moments and cleared her throat, but he'd not responded. He kept reading the book.

"Um…Prince?"

"Mmmm-hmmm?" he responded, his eyes still fixated on the textbook. What was so interesting?

"It's Serenity, I-I'm here for the training…" she trailed off.

His eyes jumped from his book to Serenity, standing before the closed door. "Oh! Yes, yes of course; is it five o'clock already?"

She was about to answer but apparently it was a rhetorical question, as the Prince stood up and cleared a section of the table.

"We can work here; the library is a good place where you can concentrate without any interruption," said the Prince.

Serenity made her way towards Endymion, climbing up the short set of stairs. She watched as he stretched his arms over his head, and in doing so, his navy blue shirt rode up, exposing his chiseled stomach and bulging biceps.

She looked away from the sight and felt herself flush. When she looked back, she saw that he was done stretching, and was now watching her. Now that she saw his face up close, she could notice the dark bags under his tired eyes.

"I was researching healers: their ancestry, powers, and the few surviving ones… basically anything I could get my hands on," he said and he nodded towards the pile of books on the table. "I figured the more I knew, the better this would go."

He was doing research on healers? He prepared for our training session? She couldn't believe that he would put so much effort into this.

Endymion moved off to one corner and Serenity began to go through the stack of books on the table. ‘Healers: A Myth or Reality? The Power of Healers, The Legend of Healers, the Most Legendary Healers…' she mumbled the titles to herself.

Serenity heard a ringing sound above her head, when she turned her head to look; she saw Endymion was ringing a bell.

In the next moment, there was a knock at the door and a young, redheaded maid walked into the library.

"Yes, your highness?" said the maid, after doing a low curtsy.

"Bring two cups of coffee within half an hour Melody," ordered the Prince.

"Yes your highness," and with that said, she edged her way out of the room.

"So, shall we begin?" asked Endymion.

Serenity nodded as he made his way back to the table.

"I know you've gone over the history basics with Raye and there isn't much to discuss in that area. What we need to focus on here is the use and control of your powers," said the Prince. "Have you never felt that you could do something unusual, and that something about you might be different to those around you?" he added.

"No, not really…" said Serenity but then a thought struck her. "Except …" she trailed off.

"Except what?"

"Except, I've always healed fast, very fast. Maybe supernaturally so. Whenever I was hurt as a child, my wound would heal completely within a couple of days. I had never thought it unnatural because Grandma had said that she healed fast as well," but of course Grandma Rose had also been a healer.

"I thought so; the wounds of healers recover with exceptional speed because of the healing properties of your blood. That's why you need to use your blood to heal others," replied Endymion, taking off his glasses and placing them on the table.

"So to begin, you need to…you need to draw y-your-" Endymion spoke hesitantly, as if he was afraid of upsetting her.

"My blood. I need to draw my blood," finished Serenity. She remembered the incident that morning, in the gardens.

Her blood had caused the locket to glow and it had confirmed what she had believed all along. Her locket needed her blood to work.

Serenity retrieved the locket from inside her gown and jabbed her finger hard against a vine that encased it, effectively opening the locket, a feat that she hadn't yet accomplished.

Instinctively she knew to let a drop of her blood fall inside. She closed the locket and watched as it glowed with a golden light against her chest.

Serenity looked up to find Endymion's blue eyes wide open in amazement; as if he hadn't really believed that she was a healer up till that moment.

"Now what?" asked Serenity? Her locket had stopped glowing but she felt energized, almost as if she could feel the power building within her.

Endymion's eyes moved from the locket and met Serenity's gaze. "You need to concentrate. You need to keep out all external factors and find your focus. You'll feel it when you do, you'll drown out everything else and fix upon your own light."

Not with those pools of blue looking at me. Serenity found it hard to breathe when he looked at her like that.

She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate and banish all her thoughts, worries and the close proximity of the internally ugly but outwardly gorgeous man, nothing happened.

Moving a few feet away from him, she clasped her eyes shut and tried again - twice - but it was no good. Concentrating hard, forcing herself not to think of anything else but it didn't work. She didn't feel any different.

Nothing happened. Nothing worked. She didn't seem to be able to use her powers…


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Frustrated with her failed attempts, she bit out, "This is not working. I am concentrating, I am blocking out everything else but nothing happens."

"That's because you're forcing yourself to do all those things. You must relax; get into a state of Zen. Just focus on your breathing and nothing else," the Prince suggested, as he moved closer to her.

Once again, Serenity closed her eyes and this time she took a deep breath.

'Breathe in, Breathe out,' she chanted in her head.

Soon all she could feel was her breathing getting deeper, she felt as if she was almost in a sleeping state. She could feel her heart beat slowing down and beating a steady rhythm, she could sense her chest rising and falling with each beat and she could feel a surge of power in her core, in her center, near her heart. She could feel the warmth there: bright, comforting warmth. Aware of being pulled into the golden light…

"Serenity -, youall right?"

She opened her eyes and found the Prince looking at her with concern.

"I did it, I found the light," cried Serenity, her voice echoing her disbelief.

"Well done, that's great, but are you okay? You seemed as if you were in a trance…"

"I'm fine, I was just concentrating," she replied.

"All right then, now you need to direct that light outwards, move that power to your hands and channel it towards the person before you. Try it."

Serenity closed her eyes and once again entered a trance-like state and the light appeared, she felt it. She focused on reaching that source of energy, directing it outwards through her hands. She couldn't hear or feel anything; her senses absorbed in the energy inside her. Serenity could feel her concentration deepen and the power spreading and coursing through her body. Her hands filling with this pulsing warmth, she pushed outwards.

She forced her eyes open in time to see her hands glow a faint golden- yellow for a brief moment before they returned to normal.

Excitement spread through her as she turned to Endymion, "Did you see it? I did it, I felt it!"

"Yes, you did! I didn't think you'd be able to grasp it so quickly, but you did. You must develop your ability to heal somebody's wounds, you need to be stronger and learn to project your power outwards, towards the person concerned. Here…" said Endymion as he stood behind her, placing his hands on her wrists then bringing her smaller hands up into a - sleep-walking - position. Moving his palms down her arms, he bent her elbows a little.

"Okay, now concentrate. You need to feel the light moving within you. You have to generate more power and bring it towards your hands," said Endymion, and as he was talking, his hands slowly trailed down her arms.

When Serenity failed to move, he reiterated the movement and said, "Well, do it."

Serenity couldn't move. He was too close. His musky rose scent enveloped her senses, the heat from his taller, stronger body warmed hers, and his breathing caressed her neck.

What am I doing? I have to focus and do this. Serenity closed her eyes and tried to concentrate but all she could feel were his hands, the sensation like Electricity running up and down her arms. In addition, his breath was tickling her nape.

Before she could get lost in his touch, she wrenched her eyes open and bit out, "C-could you not do that…it's disturbing."

His palms stilled on hers and Serenity pulled herself away from his touch and turned to face him. His face bore a brief expression of surprise, and then his lips curled into a slow smile.

The charming grin alarmed Serenity and she took a step back.

"Am I distracting you Princess?" he said, a smile on his face, as he took a step closer.

Serenity retreated, continuously moving backwards, "No! O-of course n-not! I…I just couldn't concentrate with you breathing down my neck."

"Oh really? I was thinking it had something to do with me touching you. My touch seems to make you…bothered," he said, with a lazy smile.

That jerk! His arrogance made her stop in her tracks and she retaliated,"Please, if by bothered you mean disgusted, then yes, your touch bothers me."

He moved closer and Serenity continued her tirade, "In fact, you would be the last man on this planet I would want to be touched by or touch!"

The Prince stopped before her; he was so close to her now. No longer smiling, his face was fixed in an intense expression, his eyes piercing hers. She moved back but her back met with a solid wall, realizing she'd backed herself up against a bookcase.

She was trapped between the Prince and the bookcase. This proposition didn't please her so she tried to distract him, "We should probably get back to the training session, so if you wouldn't mind moving-"

However, he didn't budge. Instead, he trailed his hands down her arms once again and this time Serenity couldn't hide her reaction; she shivered.

The Prince leaned his body against hers and whispered in her ear, "For someone who claims to hate my touch, you sure do react to it in a peculiar way, Princess."

"Why you pompous jackass-" Serenity began but Endymion leaned down and crushed her lips against his.

She resisted, pushing her hands against his chest. What did he think he was doing? She didn't want this.

Her pushing only made him hold her tighter. He began lining her lips with his tongue. Serenity gasped in surprise – or was it pleasure? He slipped his adventures tongue inside her sweet mouth. Endymion moved his hands to her nape, angling her head for better access to her lips, attacking her mouth with more intensity. He tasted like melted chocolate.

Dear lord. Serenity felt herself surrender to him; slackening under his touch. Feeling her resistance slipping, Endymion smiled against her mouth and pushed her harder against the bookcase.

She was going to be sore tomorrow. She needed to stop him. She hated him and – all thoughts flew from her head as his hand moved from her neck and traced her spine, down her back. Without ending the kiss, he played with the fastenings at the back of her gown, his fingers drawing circles on her bare back.

Serenity gasped into his mouth when Endymion started to unfasten her gown, pulling at the strings on her bodice. Whenever his hands touched her bare skin, Serenity shivered in anticipation. With her garment now unfastened to her lower back, Endymion slipped his warm hand inside, caressing her silky skin.

The Prince ended the kiss, only to move his lips down Serenity's slender neck. She moved her head back to allow him better access as he nibbled at that sensitive spot behind her ear and then moved on to her collarbone. He slipped the straps of her dress off her shoulders, kissing her soft flesh as he went.

She let out a moan as Endymion brought his hand to her breast, underneath her bodice. He outlined a bra cup with his finger, tickling her. She inhaled sharply as his hand cupped her left breast through her bra.

"So beautiful…" murmured Endymion, against her neck.

"Prince…" Serenity pleaded, for what she didn't know. She tried to pull him up so she could taste chocolate again but he resisted. She pulled at him some more but he smiled against her collarbone, enjoying her torment.

Serenity's hands stilled and she ceased her movements; she thought she had just heard a sound. Moving her head to one side, she listened carefully and that's when she heard it.

"Your highness?" called a meek voice. It was a girl's voice. "Your highness, I brought your coffee as you requested," she responded once again, this time closer.

The maid. Oh my god, the maid. Serenity sprang into action; pulling herself and the aware Prince into a more secluded area, among the bookcases.

They both stood there; Serenity partially undressed and the fully clothed Prince watching the girl through the shelves.

"I should call out to her," the Prince said after a brief moment of silence.

"What? Are you insane?" Serenity exclaimed.

"Well, she'll be worried and I did ask for coffee after all," he said and he righted his clothes.

"B-but she can't see me like this, she can't know that you and I- that we…you know," cried Serenity, gesturing to her clothes.

"Well, it doesn't really bother me. People will always talk and besides I'm their Prince, they love me," he said nonchalantly.

"No, you can't –"

"Melody, I'm over—" began the Prince but Serenity yanked his arm hard.

"Shut up! She'll come over here, just shut up!" Serenity whispered fervently.

"Make me," he challenged his voice in a drawl.

"What?"

His face broke into a lazy, devious smile, "Kiss me."

"Ew. No, I would never—"

"Over here, Melody," the Prince said, his voice rising at the end.

Melody was looking around as if she had heard a sound.

Oh no. She knew she had no choice. She did either what he asked, or was exposed to the entire kingdom as a slut. She could not let the maid see her with the Prince. So she made the decision.

She stepped closer to him and whispered, "Just so we're clear, I'm being forced to do this. No way in hell would I ever willingly initiate or enjoy this."

With that said she stood up on her toes, put her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her. Closing his mouth effectively with hers, she stopped him from talking and revealing their hiding spot. Serenity had intended the kiss to be chaste, but the Prince having realized this, was attempting to make muffled noises against her mouth. The maid was still standing close by. Therefore, Serenity deepened the kiss by slipping her tongue inside his mouth.

She knew he was smiling and he stopped all attempts at resisting once she entered his mouth. Looking over his shoulder, Serenity watched as the maid gave up, and left the room. She struggled to break the kiss and pull away before things got out of hand, but the Prince put his arms around her and pulled her tight against him.

She could feel him. Every ridge and muscle was pressed up against her, her breasts flattened against his chest. He took his time exploring her mouth while his powerful arms tightened around her waist and his hands caressed her lower back.

All thoughts about ending the kiss forgotten, she moved her hands to his raven black hair. She ran her fingertips through the silky strands. Endymion's large hands moved to the front of her bodice and he kneaded her right breast. Serenity let out a breathy moan as his thumb flicked over her nipple, hardening the nub.

Endymion's mouth left her lips and moved his attention to her ear, his hands paying tribute to her breasts.

She wanted something from him. No, she needed it. She didn't know what it was that she wanted but her back arched, pushing her against him.

He smelled so good. He felt so good. He was all hard against her softness and she loved it. Serenity gasped as Endymion gently bit down on her ear, "Ah, Prince."

He gripped her backside and pushed her tight against him and she felt it. She felt him; the hardness taught against her abdomen.

Serenity forgot about everything but the man in front of her. With eyes only for him, sliding her arms around his neck to explore the pleasure of his kiss. She needed him more and didn't know what she was doing, she just moved instinctively.

"Please," she begged.

"You want me," he whispered as he moved his hips against hers.

"Yes…Yes," gasped Serenity, feeling weak on her feet.

"You need me Serenity," he whispered in her ear as he enveloped her in his arms.

"I-I do," she cried, the need building up within her.

"God, you're so beautiful," Endymion moaned.

She unbuttoned his shirt with unsteady hands, revealing smooth, tanned skin. She pulled his shirt aside and slid her hands across his chest, feeling the strength that lay below her trembling touch.

Dear god, this man was beautiful. So beautiful.

"Prince, I—" Serenity began but stopped dead when she saw movement over Endymion's shoulder.

"Raye?" she called, in a meek voice.

"Ah-mmm, sorry to interrupt your study session…" she said, but from what Serenity could see, she didn't look sorry at all. Her face held a big smile and her eyes were twinkling.

Crap, she was half-dressed. She, Serenity stood there half-naked with the Prince of Earth. Who also happened to be Raye's brother.

Endymion's head dropped and rested against her collarbone. Panicking, she tried to disentangle herself from the Prince but he wouldn't let her budge.

"Shit Raye, haven't you heard of knocking," he grumbled.

"I did knock, but you two were too busy with, well you know with what, to hear," Raye said in her defense, the laughter evident in her voice.

"Well, what do you want?" he barked, not attempting to move away from the blonde.

"Nothing that can't wait until tomorrow."

"Great. Now go," he answered back.

"I am, but really Endymion, even Serenity? I thought you'd at least let her be. I mean, can't you ever manage to keep your pants on?"

"Shut up, it's not like that," Endymion said and he finally raised his head to look at Serenity. "It's not like that," he repeated to her.

What? 'Even Serenity? Can't you manage to keep your pants on?' The words played in her head, repeatedly, with more conviction every time they were repeated. They brought her out of her stupor.

Even Serenity. Of course, how could she be so stupid?

She disentangled herself from his embrace, pulling blindly at her clothes so she could at least cover something.

She had to get out of there. She couldn't let them see. Couldn't let him see.

He held onto her wrist, "Listen to me. It's not what you think—"

"I don't need your explanations, let go of my hand," she bit back.

Just hold on. A little bit longer.

"Just listen, I can explain," he said, not letting go. Was it just her or did she detect some pleading in his voice?

"Let go of my wrist, just please let go," Serenity said, knowing she sounded desperate but not caring.

Just a little bit more. I can do it.

The desperation in her voice made him let go of her wrist and Serenity, clutching the dress against her body, began to walk past Raye.

"Serenity, really, I didn't mean it that way. It just came out," her expression one of worry as she tried to explain herself.

Relax. Just a bit more.

"No Raye, its fine. It doesn't matter anyways. I just need to go, I was just being stupid."

Serenity saw the Prince move behind her, as if to say something. She knew she couldn't take anymore and so she walked out of the room as fast as she could.

As the door to her bedroom slammed behind her, her first tear fell onto the well-polished floor. She let it all out; all the events of the evening weighing upon her like a load of heavy bricks.

"I am such a gullible idiot," she thought, wiping away the tears that fell freely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! If there's anything you like, or don't like…please leave a review!


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Self-pity; it's an acute and peculiar feeling. It consumed and suspended you in a thick fog of misery and loathing. You wanted to wallow in it further, to immerse yourself completely in your own misfortune.

Piercing rays of sunshine shone through the curtains rousing Serenity from her misery, her own state of self-pity. Her eyes burned, either from the lack of sleep or the crying; maybe both. She pulled the covers over her head and buried herself deeper into her bed. She was safe here, away from everything and everyone.

She had barely slept last night. Thoughts of what had transpired that evening swirled around in her head, preventing her from getting any rest.

She had wallowed in self-pity, reliving the evening over and over in her head. Every time she closed her eyes, it would play like a movie, his face appearing before her. Exhaustion had finally worn her down having cried herself to sleep, but a peaceful sleep eluded her. She tossed and turned as the nightmares plagued her throughout the night.

'Even Serenity? Can't you manage to keep your pants on?'

Raye's words were engrained in her mind, tormenting her no matter how much she tried to forget. She couldn't forget those words.

"Why would I think myself different?" scoffed Serenity, "Special, to him?" Her vision blurred as she angrily wiped away a tear that had escaped her eyes.

"God, I am so delusional! Why am I expecting something from him when he promised nothing? I mean nothing to him and he means nothing to me! He would have done that with any woman…it didn't mean anything to him at all," her lips trembled as she spoke.

In fury, Serenity swiped at her eyes. "I am not going to cry over him anymore. This is my own fault. I expected something when nothing was there…I was living in my own damnfantasy, and I'm engaged for god's sake! No…no more crying over something that never was..."

She moved with new determination. She would resolve to forget about last night and just move on with her life. Try to get back to her own time. Yes, that was what she would do.

She was still exhausted, having barely slept the night before. Serenity closed her eyes, fighting the images that so effortlessly sprung forth. At first sleep eluded her, but soon it claimed her, she slept, really slept for the first time since nightfall.

The sound of knocking woke Serenity; she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and listened for the noise again.

"-nity… Serenity, are you awake? It's Raye, may I-can I please come in?" her voice called from the other side of the door.

'Oh no, I'm not ready to see Raye yet.'

"Please Serenity," Raye pleaded.

With a sigh, she consented, "Oh, yes I'm awake. Come in."

She pulled herself up into a sitting position as the door opened and Raye walked in to the room.

Raye seemed startled to see Serenity still in bed. She offered an apologetic smile, "I'm sorry Serenity, and I didn't mean to wake you."

"Oh no, don't apologize," Serenity waved her hand nonchalantly. "I shouldn't even be in bed this late, it's just that I couldn't get much sleep last night…," she trailed off.

"That's understandable, do you mind if I sit down?" said Raye as she gestured towards the bed.

"No, of course sit down."

Raye turned her gaze towards Serenity and her sympathetic eyes searched Serenity's face.

"Serenity, I'm sorry about yesterday…I shouldn't have made that comment...I-"

'Even Serenity? Can't you manage to keep your pants on?'

"It's okay, I'm fine," she said cutting her off mid-sentence.

"I didn't mean to be crass…I didn't intend to hurt," Raye started again.

"You don't need to apologize, believe me. I've forgotten it already," she interrupted.

Serenity could see the sympathy clear in Raye's eyes. She didn't need her sympathy; she didn't want anyone's pity. Yes, she herself had been damn stupid, jumping to conclusions and creating her own fantasies but she didn't want other people to console her with empty words. She would get through this on her own.

Looking up at Raye for the first time since the raven-haired woman sat on the bed, noticing her deep purple eyes were filled with concern as they met her own. Raye's gaze shifted down as she took in Serenity's attire.

"You're still wearing your evening gown," Raye stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

'Damn. Why did she have to notice that?'

Serenity looked down at her attire, "Yes…I- I was just very tired when I returned to my room last night. I didn't have the energy to change…I can be very lazy," she laughed, her laughter sounding hollow, even to her, and it definitely didn't fool Raye.

"Serenity…Endymion may come off as a jerk but he acts different around y-"

"Raye, please. I don't care about Endymion. I'm not special to him, nor is he special to me. Yesterday was just a mistake…a momentary lapse in judgment.

It will not happen again. So can we just drop this subject please; it's irrelevant, please?"

Raye opened her mouth to argue, but thankfully thought better of it and closed it again, realizing that she was fighting a lost cause. With a big sigh she said, "Fine. Consider it dropped… for the moment, but I have just one thing to say." At Serenity's groan, Raye reached across and took Serenity's hand with a smile. Her purple eyes lookingearnestly into hers and Raye continued, "I'm here for you. Whenever or wherever you want to talk, about anything, I'm here. Don't ever feel like you're alone here."

Raye's words touched Serenity and made her think of Raye as family. She squeezed her hand back, "Thank you Raye."

"So, you will come and talk to me… about anything?"

"Definitely," she agreed with a smile.

Serenity had no intension of ever talking to Raye about this subject again, as she was going to stay far, far away from Endymion.

"Good." That seemed to have placated Raye enough to bring back her old enthusiasm. "My word, you must be famished! You haven't had anything to eat since yesterday evening!"

"Yes, I am pretty hungry. What time is it?" asked Serenity, looking about her room.

"A little past one," Raye answered as she moved about opening the curtains.

"One! I can't believe I'm still in bed!"

Raye chuckled, "I know, come on, and get out of bed now. Do you want to come down and have something to eat or should I have them bring something up for you?"

She was now standing by Serenity's door.

"No no, I'll come down. I need to get out of this room."

"Okay, see you in a bit" Raye said with a smile.

"Raye?"

"Hmm?" with her hand frozen on the door handle, Raye turned around with an inquisitive expression.

"Thank you."

"Don't be stupid. Anytime," and with that she walked out of the room, softly closing the door behind her.

Serenity rested her head against the headboard and took a deep, steadying breath.

"That's right. I'm going to forget about what happened yesterday and I'm going to stay as far away from him as possible."

With new resolve, she pushed the covers back and swung out of bed.

Serenity walked to her bathroom intending to change, when she caught her reflection in the mirror. She looked terrible! She looked haggard, her skin pallor and eyes red and puffy,with dark bags underneath.

'No wonder Raye hadn't believed me, my face had given me away.'

With a sigh, she changed out of her clothes and left her room in hopes of finding something to eat.

Serenity closed the bedroom door behind her and walked down the hallway towards the dining room. She was famished, and why wouldn't she be, considering nearly twenty-four hours had passed since her last meal. She hoped Raye had spoken to the chef so that she could have a little something to eat before dinnertime.

As she moved down the next hallway, Serenity pressed her hands to her temple. A headache appeared to be starting, her head pounding in a dull rhythm.

'This is probably a result of all that crying I did last night. What a wonderful day this was shaping up to be,' she thought woefully.

She turned the corner, almost colliding headfirst into someone, a tall, broad-shouldered and bothersome someone.

'Why, oh why do you hate me?' Serenity sent a silent question towards the gods. 'Maybe he didn't notice me; maybe I can still get away…'

She chanced a look in Endymion's direction.

Two blue eyes, a shade darker than hers, were peering back at her with concern.

'Oh the gall, what does he have to be concerned about?' Serenity lamented inwards.

The image of him standing there looking as if the perfect image of empathy, this, more than anything else infuriated her; did he think he had such a profound effect on her that she would fall for it?

Did he think that she would be drowning in sorry, after yesterday's events? Did he pity her now, with mock concern marring his face?

'You can get through this Serenity,' she reminded herself.

"Um, are you doing all right?" the worry in his voice wreaking havoc with her insides.

'Damn that voice!' That deep baritone voice of his brought back unbridled memories of the day before.

"Fine…, as you can see, I did manage to avoid colliding with you," she responded her tone clipped.

"Serenity…you know perfectly well what I am referring to."

"No, I haven't the faintest idea, but since you are all-knowing, pray do tell," Serenity responded with sarcasm.

She wasn't looking at him. Her gaze wandered about, never resting on him for more than a moment or two.

Out of the corner of her eye, Serenity saw him rake a frustrated hand through his hair.

"Serenity, yesterday…," he struggled to find the right words, "Raye was out of line, she sometimes doesn't control what comes out of her mouth. She lacks the tact one should use before speaking, so you shouldn't take what she says seriously."

He continued looking at her with a concerned expression etched on his otherwise striking face.

"It's okay, really, it doesn't involve me so you don't need to be telling me all this," she spoke with what she hoped was an air of indifference.

"Oh really? That's why you look the way you do; not to mention, you haven't met my eyes once since we've started talking!" he challenged, making a sweeping gesture towards her.

So he had noticed. Serenity looked towards him, but she didn't think she could bear to look directly at him, so she focused on a spot somewhere above his left shoulder.

Endymion, clearly unimpressed, stood there with his arms folded across his chest, wearing an annoyed expression on his face, one eyebrow raised.

'What is he annoyed about? I didn't ask him to make conversation,' Serenity glared at him.

"I'm just tired is all, the time difference between your world and my world makes it harder for me to sleep, and contrary to your beliefs, not everyone finds you so attractive that they want to stare at you all day," Serenity retorted, glaring at him.

'Ass.'

"Okay, so you don't care about what happened yesterday?" he prompted.

"Why…what happened yesterday?" she asked in a mocking tone, a quizzical expression on her face.

"Really, so we're going to play this game now? You're actually going to pretend that yesterday never happened?" His voice was harder now, colder, as he deliberately moved that much closer to her.

"Look Endymion, yesterday was a mistake," she said backing away, mirroring his movements. "We made a mistake; it was just an in-the-moment thing, so there is no point reminiscing about something that meant nothing. Move on. I already have…"

Serenity faltered in her speech because Endymion was still moving towards her, and now he had a cold expression on his face. His eyes colored a chilling blue.

Oh, he looks angry. He looked pissed actually.

The small of her back now against the wall, effectively trapping her with the raging man in front of her; Serenity and Endymion now eye-to-eye; so close in fact she only needed to move an inch or so to kiss that little exposed area of his neck, beneath his shirt.

'Like I'd even want to,' scoffed Serenity.

Endymion placed a large hand beside her head, and leaned down until their faces were level, blazing blue eyes locking with hers.

"Meant nothing, huh? Well, I'm so glad that it meant so little to you, so maybe I shouldn't have stayed up half the night, tossing and turning, and wondering if you were all right, wondering if maybe there was a way I could make you feel better…hurt less."

'What?' His eyes searching for something in her own, she didn't know what.

Serenity looked, really looked, at Endymion for the first time. He looked like he had seen better days: his hair disheveled his twinkling eyes now hard, his handsome face haggard, dark bags under his eyes, and a five o' clock shadow apparent on his face.

Serenity's façade faltered. 'Am I wrong about him?' she wondered, peering into his handsome face.

Endymion's expression softened a little. Pain, hurt, and uncertainty flittered across his face; before he closed himself off again.

'Oh come on, he just feels guilty that you were such a fool,' Serenity chided herself. His beautiful eyes still seemed to search her face, before his gaze settled on her lips.

Was he getting closer, or was she imagining it, was she leaning into him? Her breath hitched in her throat, as she stared into his eyes.

Then the warmth was gone. Just like that. Endymion spoke, in a cold whisper, "But if it was all just a mistake, maybe I should move on. Since it meant nothing anyway…," and with one last burning glimpse at Serenity, he was gone.

He retreated down the hallway, leaving behind a very bewildered and confused Serenity.

'What just happened?' she wondered still staring after him, feeling a little faint.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for sticking with me thus far. I really do need the feedback, and love reading reviews. Please review!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for bearing with me. I'm trying to make time to update this story as much as I can. As always, reviews and opinions are always welcomed, if not encouraged ;)

Chapter 9

The next few days seemed to go by in a blur. Minutes ticked into hours as nights fused into days. Serenity barely remembered any of it. Her mind seemed to be otherwise occupied. 

She had been reminiscing about what had occurred that day. What had happened with Endymion. Over the past few days, Serenity had begun to second-guess herself. Was she overthinking things? Maybe he wasn’t so bad after all…

Maybe she had read him wrong? 

Or was she just kidding herself? Was she deluding herself into thinking that he actually cared for her? I mean he seemed to be good at getting whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted it. He was a Prince after all. 

A small rumble from her stomach brought Serenity out of her thoughts and back to reality. She was lounging in her bed. A place she had barely left this past week. 

Serenity looked about her room, as if willing food to materialize from thin air. With a sigh, she gave up and looked at the clock. 4:20P.M. It was quite late.

Serenity looked warily at her bedroom door. 

‘Maybe I don’t really need to eat,’ she reasoned with herself. 

She didn’t want to talk to anyone. Not the generals, not even the servants. She had barely left her room at all this week. It’s not like she was hiding from anything. She just needed some time to herself to think things over. 

She had heard the whisperings of the maids that came in to her room. She knew they had been gossiping. 

She was being such a coward. She had to stop this.

‘Chin up, Serenity. Stop being weak. You need to face this. You can’t just hide in your room all day. What’s the worst that can happen? You’ll run into him?’ she mentally chided herself.

At that thought, Serenity noticed she had moved further into the warmth of her bed. 

‘No! So what? You’ll just be normal. You’ll act like a civilized human being. Life goes on. Come on, get off your bed and let’s go get something to eat.’

And with her pep talk, Serenity finally left her room with renewed enthusiasm. It felt good to leave her room. Her body felt ridged from being cooped up in a room for one week. 

Serenity also had a headache. It had been a dull ache for most of the day, but now it had intensified. She felt a piercing in her head every time she took a step. Maybe some fresh air would do her some good…

All of a sudden, Serenity had a brilliant idea. She should have her meal outside. Yes, that would help her clear her head!

Serenity popped over to the kitchen and requested that an herbal tea with willow tree bark extract and biscuits be brought to the rose garden. Raye had told her once that in order to cure a headache, they added extract from the willow tree bark to their tea. Serenity smiled to herself. This was the precursor to the painkiller the modern world knew as Aspirin. 

As she turned the corner, and saw the gate to the courtyard, Serenity wasn’t sure this was a good idea. Would the guard let her pass? She was unsure but she strode confidently to the exit. But sure enough, when she was within a foot of the exit, the guard blocked her path. 

“I am sorry but you are not allowed to leave the palace,” he said in a monotone voice. 

“I am not leaving the castle, I just want to have tea in the garden. Surely I’m allowed to have tea where I please” Serenity shot back, annoyance creeping into her voice. 

“Of course, but the Prince does not allow prisoners to move about as they wish. You are to remain within the castle,” he responded as he looked straight at her. 

What an ass. Why was this happening to her? Her head was pounding, she was starving, and now this guard was giving her attitude. 

Well she would see about that. 

“Now you listen here, you little as- ” she began, thrusting a finger into his face for emphasis. 

“Let the lady pass” called a deep voice from behind her. 

She watched as the guard’s squinty little eyes grew alarmed and shot down to his boots. 

“But my-my Lord, the prince forbids prisoners from leaving the castle” came his quiet voice. There was no fight in the voice. He just sounded like a scared little boy.

Well look at the change in his attitude. As Serenity glared at him, she noticed that a tall man with long blonde hair had appeared beside her. 

As he smiled down at her, Serenity noticed his dark blue, royal crest emblazoned outfit. He was most definitely a General. She tried to place him, but failed. 

“My lady, I don’t think we have been introduced properly,” he said as he picked up her hand and brought it to his lips. 

“My name is Malachite, and I am one of Prince Endymion’s royal generals” he added as he brushed a kiss onto her hand. 

Serenity blushed and muttered a “Pleased to meet you.” 

Light blue eyes twinkling from amusement, the general turned to face the guard. 

“The Prince has acknowledged the Lady as a guest, and therefore she is allowed to wander about the grounds.”

“But my Lord-” the guard started. 

Serenity watched as the twinkling blue eyes turned to slate as the general took a step towards the guard. 

“And is that how you speak to a Lady? What do you think the Prince will say when he discovers how you’ve treated his guest?”

Taking another step forward, Malachite’s voice dropped even lower, “ Why I think Endymion would have your head for how you’ve treated her…”

The guard cowered and practically tripped over himself in order to open the gate. 

“I-I a-apologize m-milady, please, here you go,” he whimpered as he opened the large wooden gate. 

Serenity felt a thread of pity for the guard as she walked through. She didn’t think Endymion would have cared how the guard treated her. In fact, she thought he would have applauded it. 

Serenity halted to thank the General for his help. 

“It was my pleasure. That was no way for him to treat you,” he said. “Alas, I have some matters to attend to, so this is where I must take my leave.”

“O-Of course, thank you again for everything” Serenity responded.

“Enjoy your time in the gardens. They’re a beauty. But please stay within the castle grounds. You have freedom, but it is limited,” he added as he left her with a warm smile.

Serenity stared after him for a bit, before turning to walk down the path to the rose garden. 

He was nice. The nicest anyone had been to her at this castle, with the exception of Raye. Serenity concluded that Endymion’s generals seemed to be decent men. Well Malachite did anyway. 

Serenity carefully sidestepped a puddle along the path. Ah, this ordeal with the guard had made headache worse. 

A sharp pain in her head almost brought Serenity to her knees. She clutched her head as the pain suddenly grew piercing sharp. She clenched her teeth and closed her eyes, willing the pain to stop. Her headaches had never been this bad before. This was unbearable!

And that’s when she heard it. 

“-what do you mean you can’t find her? Where is she?!” a woman’s voice grew frantic. 

“Where is she?! It’s pitch dark outside, where could she be? Why didn’t she tell anyone?” 

“I’ll go out and search for her. Don’t worry, I’ll find her.” This was a different voice, a man’s voice. 

And just like that the pain subsided. Serenity stopped grasping her head and looked around bewilderedly. 

There was no one there.

What was that? Where did those voices come from?

Did she imagine them? As she looked around, she saw the trees leaves move with the gusty wind. That’s it. 

She must have mistaken the howling of the wind for what she heard. Or what she thought she had heard. It was quite a windy day after all. That was the only reasonable explanation.

Serenity started to make her way to the garden once again, content with her explanation. 

But, there was still something hounding at her conscious. A little voice in her head was trying to tell her something she couldn’t let herself believe. 

That the howling wind had sounded oddly familiar. 

In fact, the wind sounded like two voices she knew very well. The howling bore an eerie resemblance to the voices of her mother and fiancé.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! If you would like to leave a review for this chapter, it would really make my day!


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Serenity shook her head to clear it. It must be a coincidence. She must have imagined their voices. Was she homesick? 

With a start, she realized that she had reached her favorite alcove in the rose garden. She needed to relax. So she closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. She breathed in the lovely aromatic scent of the wild roses. The breathtaking aroma engulfed her and she smiled. She felt warm, her worries and fears melted away. 

With a happy sigh, Serenity sat down on the wooden bench in the alcove. 

This was it. This was her most favorite place in the world. And she sat like that for a few blissful minutes, taking in the beauty of the roses and he greenery surrounding her.

This place was truly paradise. Picturesque snow capped mountains surrounded the castle, but were quite distant. A lake lay to the left of the castle, nestled within an old forest. 

Raye had told her a lot about the surrounding area. About the villages that surrounded the castle, about the festivals that they hosted, and about the beautiful landscape around the castle. She was very proud of Endymion and all that he had done for the people under his rule. Especially for the poor villages surrounding the kingdom. Serenity didn’t care much for Endymion, but she eagerly listened to all of Raye’s tales. 

Raye had taken charge of her daily “lessons” ever since that hallway incident with her brother. Serenity wasn’t sure whether this was his decision or if Raye had kicked him out for the time being. However, she had happily welcomed Raye as her new teacher. Anything to be rid of the confusion that her brother brought. 

So for the past few days, I had been getting history lessons about the kingdom. 

Raye thought it important that Serenity know about the disaccord in the kingdom so that she would understand why my healing powers were so important. They hadn’t touched on any of the important present-day issues though. 

It would be time for her lesson soon. Serenity was looking forward to meeting Raye. She was happy that she had given Raye a chance to be her friend. It felt good to know that she wasn’t completely alone in a strange world. 

And maybe she should give her brother a chance as well. Maybe he wasn’t so bad. She could at least talk to him. Give him a chance to explain his feelings. Yes, maybe she could make a new friend. 

Happy with her decision, Serenity relaxed just as she heard footsteps coming her way.  
She sat up just as two maids materialized, one carrying her tea while the other held her biscuits. 

“Here you are milady” they chimed together. 

“Ahh…perfect. Thank you” Serenity smiled.

With a nod, they backed out of the alcove, leaving Serenity to enjoy her tea.

Serenity took a sip of her tea and felt the warmth run through her. With a few more sips, her head felt cleared. 

“This is bliss,” she Serenity. 

 

Serenity was about to take another sip of her tea, when she heard voices. She realized it was the two maids who had brought her tea. They were on the other side of her alcove, hidden from her view. 

She smiled; they were a lot more chatty now. 

“Where is Linda? She’s usually the server, I haven’t seen her as of late,” asked one of them. 

“Oh I hear she’s taking care of the Prince. She was bragging to all of us about how she satisfied him, just 4 nights ago,” gossiped the second maid. 

Serenity’s hand froze with the teacup in midair. 

“She always latches on to him. It seems that he favors her,” stated the first maid. 

“It would seem so,” replied the second maid, her voice a lot more distant. 

And silence followed. They were too far away for Serenity to hear now. 

With shaking hands, she drank her tea. 

Four nights ago? Serenity sipped her tea. That was the night they had met in the hallway. She took another sip. 

Despite the warm tea, she felt cold. Numb. But she was eerily calm. 

Maybe it was the tea, or maybe it was the fact that she had always expected this in the back of her mind. He was a prince. Used to getting everything he wanted. So why would one woman be enough for him?

She should have known. She shouldn’t have fallen for his words. Actions speak louder than words, don’t they?

She hadn’t changed at all. She was still the same girl who gullibly fell for men with false promises and charms. She had been used all her life, as a bridge to her vast wealth. Men always had an ulterior motive. Her wealth. And now, this Prince was playing with her feelings and emotions like a toy. Nothing had changed. 

Well not anymore. She would be stronger. 

As Serenity finished her tea, she set her teacup on the bench and stood up from her seat. 

Who needed new friends anyways?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading. Won’t you leave a review? Pretty please?
> 
> Also, I've written a new story titled 'Change of Heart'. Check it out if you're looking for more to read.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone,  
>  I hope you like this chapter; things are building up in the story. On a side note, if you're looking for another story to read, please check out my new work titled 'Change of Heart'. It's quite a bit different from this one, but I think you'll enjoy it.

Chapter 11

The shadows from the setting sun played across Serenity's face as she crossed a window in the palace hallway. Giving the window a quick glance, she noticed the beautiful purple, pink and gold colors in the evening sky.

She estimated that it was probably around 7 o' clock in the evening. The day had been a long one. She had gone through a myriad of emotions in just one day.

She realized she was tired. Emotionally drained. She had never felt so many emotions in such a small span before.

Her boots made clicking noises as she rounded a corner in the never-ending hallway. She kept her focus on keeping her limbs moving to her destination, when all she really wanted to do was sit down in some corner, and throw her head in her hands.

What was she doing here?

This isn't her home. She doesn't even quite know where this is.

But she understood one thing clearly now. She was disposable here. She wasn't one of their own. She didn't' belong there.

The only reason they hadn't killed he yet was because they saw a certain potential in her. They believed she was a healer.

But if they were wrong about her abilities, or if Serenity remained unable to harness her powers, she would easily become disposable.

She meant nothing.

Serenity shivered involuntarily, and wrapped her arms around herself.

She was lost somewhere in the continuum of time, and she needed to go home. She needed to prioritize. She couldn't let her emotions control her, as she had so many times in the past.

No, she was done thinking with her heart. She needed to rely solely on her mind and reasoning now.

So how could she leave this place?

Would they let her go voluntarily or would she need to force their hand?

Maybe she should start exploring the castle to look for potential exit points. She knew there that were guards posted everywhere. But, she would just have to be careful to not linger for too long so as to draw suspicion.

Yes, she needed to get home.

From a distance, Serenity heard the distinctive bells of the clock.

Ah, it was 7 o' clock.

It was time for her evening training sessions with the devil.

She didn't want to go. She didn't want to face him.

But she knew she would have to. She had to behave perfectly until she found her one chance to escape. She couldn't arouse suspicion or cause any disturbance that may limit her accessibility to the castle grounds.

Besides, Serenity had the upper hand, didn't she? Unbeknownst to Endymion, she know understood his very nature. He was just playing with her. There was nothing more.

Maybe she could even pry some information out of him.

Serenity stopped short of running into a door. She had been so consumed in her own mind; she hadn't realized that she was standing right outside the massive library doors.

With her strengthened resolve, Serenity knocked on the wooden doors.

Silence.

She knocked again. And nothing.

'I guess he's running late. Must be running around with a maid somewhere,' she muttered to herself.

Serenity let herself into the library. No point in waiting outside. Maybe she could take a brief nap on those massive armchairs inside.

Once inside, she took a deep breath. She was always taken aback by how beautiful this library was. Antique wooden floors and bookshelves, with comfy chairs and luxurious carpets. It was heaven. Now more so, since the asshole wasn't ruining her view.

As Serenity made her way to the chairs, fully intent on taking a nap, the bookcase to her right, caught her eye.

The bookcase that housed all the books on healers.

She walked over to the bookcase that towered over her tiny frame. She ran her fingers over the books directly in front of her.

'An Introduction to the Art of Healing', 'Healing Remedies and Potions', 'The History of Healers…'

But there was one book in particular that drew her attention. Well, it wasn't technically a book, it seemed as if it was a journal.

Serenity pulled out an unmarked book. She ran her hand over the brown leather bound cover.

It wasn't like the other books on the shelf. There was no title, no author. It was an unmarked, plain covered book.

Intrigued, Serenity opened the book to the front page. She drew a sharp breath as she read the sole sentence present on the page.

'This journal belongs to Rose Beauchamp', was engraved in gold cursive.

Grandma Rose? This was her grandmother's journal?

Sleep far from her mind, Serenity clutched the journal as if her life depended on it. Rose Beauchamp.

Beauchamp.

Beauchamp? But her maternal side's family name was McAdams. Her grandmother's name was Rose McAdams.

Who was Rose Beauchamp? Why would her grandmother have a different last name?

Confused, Serenity leafed through the book, and realized it was indeed a journal. A journal full of notes on healing. There were diagrams of herbs, how to utilize them, where to find them, their potency, etc.

There were also lengthy paragraphs detailing the events of the day, along with her thoughts. It seemed as if this woman combined both her personal diary and her notes in one book.

As Serenity surveyed a page in closer detail, a sharp realization hit her. This was her grandmother's writing.

She couldn't forget it. She had just read the same writing a few days back, when her entire world turned upside down.

But why the hell was her last name Beauchamp?

Was it an error in printing? Maybe…

"Serenity?" called a voice, from behind her.

Serenity squealed and nearly dropped the book in her hand. She whipped around to see Raye standing a foot away from her.

"Geeez, Raye! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Serenity whispered, depositing the book on the table in front of her, to clutch her rapidly beating heart.

"Sorry, sorry. Didn't mean to frighten you. I thought you would have heard me come in," Raye cried apologetically.

"It's alright. I guess I was a bit preoccupied."

"Ah, you're looking at the books we have on healers. I guess you're curious after all," Raye said with a pleased smile. "Endymion will be happy to hear this news," she added.

'Endymion can kiss my ass,' Serenity voiced internally.

"Yeah, I was a bit bored," Serenity smiled sheepishly, as she felt her heart finally return to its normal state. "Speaking of your brother, where is he? We were supposed to have a training session at 7..."

"Ah, yes. I need to talk to you about that." It was Raye's turn to act sheepishly.

"I'm taking his place for your training session today. He is otherwise occupied."

"Wow. Skipping out on his responsibilities. You know he's forcing me to do this. Why force me, if he can't be bothered himself?" Serenity cried out in frustration.

This annoyed her more than it should have. She should be relieved. But she found herself irritated.

'He's probably not done shagging that maid yet,' she thought.

"It's not like that. He was planning on instructing you today. But there have been some"-she paused, searching for a word, "-some disturbances lately. He's had to look into some serious matters," Raye stated. She had a grave look on her face, and was looking at the floor, contemplating something that etched her face into a frown.

This wasn't the Raye that Serenity was used to seeing. She was used to the playful, gleeful Raye.

"Are you alright Raye? Is everything okay?"

The concern in Serenity's voice seemed to break Raye out of her stance.

She put on a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes and responded, " Oh yes, I'm alright. Everything's fine. Everything's absolutely peachy. At least for now," she mumbled the last part under her breath.

It seemed as if she was trying to convince herself more than Serenity.

Serenity was about to further question Raye, when Raye, quite blatantly, changed the subject.

"So were you able to discover anything interesting in those books?" she asked, with a gesture at the healer books behind her.

With a sigh, Serenity let the subject go. "No, I had only just begun looking at them."

"Some of them are quite interesting. You should spend some time and become acquainted with them."

Well, she wanted to. She definitely wanted to become better acquainted with the book on table in front of her.

But would Raye let her? Serenity didn't know whether she should trust Raye. In strenuous circumstances, she would definitely align herself with her brother.

But did Serenity really have a choice?

She wanted to read her grandmother, or well this woman's, journal. This journal could potentially be the key to her freedom.

If this journal did indeed belong to her grandmother, it could allow Serenity to discover how it was that her grandmother travelled between two worlds.

And maybe she would be able to do it herself and leave this place, once and for all.

Serenity surveyed Raye. She looked distracted today, not as sharp as her usual self. Serenity knew this was probably cruel, but this might be her only chance at freedom.

"Raye, could I ask you something?"

"Mhm?" Raye mumbled, obviously preoccupied with her thoughts.

Serenity picked up the journal from the table in front of her and prodded, "I found this journal in one of the bookcases. I think it belonged to my grandmother…"

This seemed to have pulled Raye out of revere, as she gazed down at the aforementioned book.

"That's possible. Your grandmother spent quite a lot of time, from what I have heard. She could have stored her writings and such in here," she said nonchalantly.

"My grandmother has been here, in this very room?" squeaked Serenity.

"Oh most definitely. I've heard that she used this room to research her craft and devise treatments for ailments."

She was unsure why that thought startled her so much. But it did. Serenity looked around the vastly impressive room. Her grandmother had walked and worked in this very room years ago.

And, now here she was, standing in that very room, many years later. It was eerie.

Her grandmother had lead two lives. And that was just the beginning.

Serenity looked down at the book she was clutching.

There appeared to be many things she did not know about her grandmother.

Serenity was pulled out of her thoughts, as Raye's words had caught up with her.

"Ailments? My grandmother tried to treat sickness? I thought she just healed the injured? " Serenity asked.

"Your grandmother was quite a gifted woman," Raye answered with a smile. "While, yes, her primary focus was on healing those injured in combat through her gifted powers, she had also begun researching ways to ease the suffering of people with long term illnesses."

Serenity stood in amazement. Her grandmother had acted as the old age variant of a physician.

She had tried to do so much for these people. She must have cared about them. But why? Why would she care about these strangers?

She was beginning to doubt whether she even knew her own grandmother.

A sudden thought jousted Serenity out of her pondering.

She eyed Raye and vocalized her thought. "Has anyone ever read this book?"

"No, I believe not. No one has touched your grandmother's belongings, out of respect for all she has done for this kingdom."

As an afterthought she added, "And besides, I doubt anyone would understand a word of all that medical terminology."

Serenity surveyed Raye's face. It looked like she was telling the truth.

This meant no body knew that this book was a medical textbook, but a personal journal?

Serenity felt the excitement build within her. She needed to take this book. This book could possibly be her only ticket out of this place.

She knew it was risky to ask Raye. If she refused, Serenity may never get another chance to read the journal.

But Raye was also her best chance.

"Raye, do you mind if I take this book to read? It helps me feel more connected to my grandmother." Serenity hoped the emotion in her voice would do the trick.

It did.

"Of course Serenity. Be my guest. You may take as much time as you'd like with your grandmother's work. In fact, it may help you develop your powers," said Raye, brightening with her last sentence.

It pained Serenity to see, what looked like hope, in Raye's eyes. Was a healer really so sacred to them? Did they need one that desperately?

Serenity knew that Raye truly believed in her. She believed that Serenity could become as good of a healer as her grandmother.

As much as Serenity didn't want to disappoint Raye, she wasn't interested in becoming a healer. All she was interested in was finding a way back to her own time. Back to home.

She was tired of this emotional rollercoaster. She kept feeling emotions that were alien to her.

Serenity was so caught up in her thoughts that she almost jumped when there was a knock on the door.

Raye didn't seem to notice. Serenity realized Raye had been lost in her own world today as well. She still seemed to be worried about something.

Serenity watched Raye's frowning face deepen, as she turned towards the door.

"Come in," she called tense.

'What was up with her?' Serenity wondered.

A maid opened the door, and immediately descended into a bow, her eyes never lifting off of the carpeted floor.

"I apologize for the interruption your Highness. I'd just come to inform you that dinner will be served in 10 minutes."

"Very well. Lady Serenity and I will be there soon. You may leave," Raye replied, with an innate authority only a Princess could manage.

"Yes, your Highness," the maid replied as she backed out of the room. The only time her eyes lifted off the ground were when she glanced at Serenity briefly before the door shut in front of her.

'Hmm, they still haven't taken a liking to me,' Serenity thought.

"I didn't realize how late it had gotten. I'm afraid we will have to end your lesson here for the day Serenity," Raye said, giving her an apologetic smile.

"I don't mind. I always enjoy talking with you Raye. But I do hope you're all right? You seem a bit out of sorts today?"

"Hmm, yes, well, no. I'm fine. Everything will be fine. But thank you for worrying about me."

It seemed as if Serenity had caught her off guard at the beginning, but Raye had regained her composure quickly.

Before Serenity could question her further, Raye added, "Shall we go down for supper?"

"Um, sure. But you can go ahead without me. I'd like to freshen up first," Serenity replied.

"Okay. I'll meet you in the dinner hall then," Raye said as she left the library.

Serenity breathed a sigh of relief. She hugged her grandmother's diary to her chest, as she left the library to walk to her room.

She had wanted to secure the book in her room, before having dinner. She didn't want to take the chance of someone other than Raye discovering the book in her possession.

She hoped this book would be all that she wanted. There had to be something in this book that could bring her freedom. Her grandmother must have written something that would help.

Grandma Rose…

That was another matter she didn't want her mind to dwell on too long. But here she was thinking about it. Her sweet grandmother Rose.

Beauchamp?

Beauchamp?

She clearly didn't know her grandmother as well as she thought she did.

One thing was for sure. There were secrets buried in this place. Deep, dark secrets. Secrets that were connected to her, a being from the 21st century, who was transported back to medieval times.

Her entire world had been turned upside down. Hell, her entire world had been taken from her. She didn't know what to believe, and what not to believe.

All she knew was the faster she left, the better.

But little did Serenity know, the story was just beginning to unravel, and her world would never be the same again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading. Please, please, please review!


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